Waste management technology development and demonstration programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Two thermoplastic processes for improved treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes were developed from bench scale through technology demonstration: polyethylene encapsulation and modified sulfur cement encapsulation. The steps required to bring technologies from the research and development stage through full scale implementation are described. Both systems result in durable waste forms that meet current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency regulatory criteria and provide significant improvements over conventional solidification systems such as hydraulic cement. For example, the polyethylene process can encapsulate up to 70 wt pct. nitrate salt, compared with a maximum of about 20 wt pct. for the best hydraulic cement formulation. Modified sulfur cement waste forms containing as much as 43 wt pct. incinerator fly ash were formulated, whereas the maximum quantity of this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt pct

Comparability of Isocs instrument in radionuclide characterization at Brookhaven National Laboratory

This report describes a DOE Accelerated Site Technology Deployment project being conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory to deploy innovative, radiological, in situ analytical techniques. The technologies are being deployed in support of efforts to characterize the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) facility, which is currently undergoing decontamination and decommissioning

More rapid improvement in quality of life with fixed-combination calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate aerosol foam vs. topical suspension (PSO-ABLE study in patients with psoriasis vulgaris)

The phase III, PSO-ABLE study demonstrated superior efficacy with fixed-combination calcipotriene 0.005% (Cal)/betamethasone dipropionate 0.064% (BD) aerosol foam at week 4 vs. Cal/ BD topical suspension at week 8, with comparable safety up to week 12, in patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis of the body. Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are presented here. Patients assessed HRQoL using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and generic EQ-5D questionnaires at baseline, and at weeks 4, 8 and 12. A DLQI score of 0 (range 0-30) and EQ-5D utility score of 1 (weighted range -0.594 to 1) indicate perfect health. The proportion of patients who achieved a DLQI score of 0/1 (no/low impairment) was also determined. In total, 463 patients were randomized (4: 4: 1: 1) to treatment with once-daily Cal/BD foam (n = 185), Cal/BD suspension (n = 188), foam vehicle (n = 47) or suspension vehicle (n = 43). Mean baseline DLQI scores were 7.0 (Cal/BD foam), 7.9 (Cal/BD suspension), 7.0 (foam vehicle) and 9.3 (suspension vehicle), indicating a moderate impact on HRQoL. DLQI scores improved by week 12 in all groups; the mean change in DLQI at week 4 was significantly greater with Cal/BD foam than with Cal/BD suspension (-4.3 vs. -3.8; adjusted difference -1.0; P \u3c 0.01); differences were not significant at weeks 8 (-4.5 vs. -4.4; adjusted difference -0.7; P = 0.07) and 12 (-4.6 vs. -4.3; adjusted difference -0.8; P = 0.07). DLQI score improvements were significantly greater with both active treatments vs. their respective vehicles at each time point (P \u3c 0.05). Significantly more patients using Cal/BD foam than Cal/BD suspension achieved DLQI scores of 0/1 at weeks 4 (46 vs. 32%; P = 0.01) and 12 (61 vs. 44%; P \u3c 0.01), with a nonsignificant difference at week 8 (54 vs. 43%; P = 0.06). Mean baseline EQ-5D utility scores were 0.80 (Cal/BD foam), 0.82 (Cal/BD suspension), 0.82 (foam vehicle) and 0.77 (suspension vehicle). At week 4, a significantly greater improvement in mean EQ-5D utility score was seen with Cal/BD foam vs. Cal/ BD suspension (0.09 vs. 0.03; adjusted difference 0.05; P \u3c 0.01). From week 8, improvements in utility scores for both Cal/BD formulations were comparable (week 8: 0.08 vs. 0.05; adjusted difference 0.03; P = 0.06; week 12: 0.07 vs. 0.05; adjusted difference 0.02; P = 0.21). Both active treatments had significantly greater week 4 improvements in EQ-5D utility scores vs. their respective vehicles (P \u3c 0.05). In PSOABLE, Cal/BD aerosol foam improved HRQoL more rapidly than Cal/BD topical suspension in patients with psoriasis vulgaris