Photodegradation of mutagens in solvent-refined coal liquids

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate any changes in the chemical composition and microbial mutagenicities of two representative solvent-refined coal (SRC) liquids as a function of exposure time to sunlight and air. This information was desired to assess potential health hazards arising from ground spills of these liquids during production, transport and use. Results of microbial mutagenicity assays using Salmonella typhimurium TA98, conducted after exposure, showed that the mutagenicities of both an SRC-II fuel oil blend and an SRC-I process solvent decreased continuously with exposure time to air and that the decrease was accelerated by simultaneous exposure to simulated sunlight. The liquids were exposed as thin layers supported on surfaces of glass, paper, clay or aluminum; but the type of support had little effect on the results. The contrast between these results and the reported increases of mutagenesis in organisms exposed simultaneously to coal liquids and near-ultraviolet light suggested that short-lived mutagenic intermediates, e.g., organic free radicals, were formed in the liquids during exposure to light. The highest activities of microbial mutagenicity in the SRC liquids were found in fractions rich in amino polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (amino PAH). After a 36-hour exposure of the fuel oil blend to air in the dark, the mutagenicity of its amine-rich fraction was reduced by 65%; whereas a 36-hour exposure in the light reduced the mutagenicity of this fraction by 92%. Similar rates of reduction in mutagenicity were achieved in exposures of the process solvent. The mutagenicities of other chemical fractions remained low during exposure

Teratology studies of lewisite and sulfur mustard agents: Effects of lewisite in rats and rabbits: Final report: Part 2, Appendices

Lewisite was administered to rats and rabbits by intragastric intubation. Maternal animals were weighed periodically, and, at necropsy (20 dg (days of gestation) in rats and 30 dg in rabbits), were examined for gross lesions of major organs and reproductive performances; live fetuses were weighed and examined for external, internal and skeletal defects. In rats, a dose level of 1.5 mg/kg did not induce toxic or teratogenic responses in maternal animals or their fetuses. At 2.0 mg/kg, 10% maternal mortality, trends in decreased maternal and fetal body weights and a significant reduction in the number of viable fetuses were evident. In rabbit studies, maternal mortality occured in all but one of the lewisite treatment groups and range from 13% to 100% at dose levels of 0.07 and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively. This mortality rate limited the sample size and impaired the detection of statistical significance among treatments. However, at the lowest dose level of the teratology study (0.07 mg/kg), maternal mortality was the only indicator of lewisite toxicity; at the highest dose (0.6 mg/kg), significant findings included 86% maternal mortality, a decrease in maternal body weight gains and an increase in the incidence of fetal stunting, although only a tendency in decreased fetal body weights was observed. These results suggest that maternal mortality was the most important factor in predicting the induction of maternal and fetal effects and, therefore, a ''no observable effect level'' in maternal animals and their fetuses would be between 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg in rats and less than 0.07 mg/kg in rabbits. Part 2 contains 6 appendices

Uranium recovery research sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Annual progress report, May 1982-May 1983

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is currently conducting research for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on uranium recovery process wastes for both active and inactive operations. NRC-sponsored uranium recovery research at PNL is focused on NRC regulatory responsibilities for uranium-recovery operations: license active milling and in situ extraction operations; concur on the acceptability of DOE remedial-action plans for inactive sites; and license DOE to maintain inactive sites following remedial actions. PNL's program consists of four coordinated projects comprised of a program management task and nine research tasks that address the critical technical and safety issues for uranium recovery. Specifically, the projects endeavor to find and evaluate methods to: prevent erosion of tailings piles and prevent radon release from tailings piles; evaluate the effectiveness of interim stabilization techniques to prevent wind erosion and transport of dry tailings from active piles; estimate the dewatering and consolidation behavior of slurried tailings to promote early cover placement; design a cover-protection system to prevent erosion of the cover by expected environmental stresses; reduce seepage into ground water and prevent ground-water degradation; control solution movement and reaction with ground water in in-situ extraction operations; evaluate natural and induced restoration of ground water in in-situ extraction operations; and monitor releases to the environment from uranium recovery facilities