Actinide Behavior in a Freshwater Pond

Long-term investigations of solution chemistry in an alkaline freshwater pond have revealed that actinide oxidation state behavior, particularly that of plutonium, is complex. The Pu(V,VI) fraction was predominant in solution, but it varied over the entire range reported from other natural aquatic environments, in this case, as a result of intrinsic biological and chemical cycles (redox and pH-dependent phenomena). A strong positive correlation between plutonium (Pu), but not uranium (U), and hydroxyl ion over the observation period, especially when both were known to be in higher oxidation states, was particularly notable. Coupled with other examples of divergent U and Pu behavior, this result suggests that Pu(V), or perhaps a mixture of Pu(V,VI), was the prevalent oxidation state in solution. Observations of trivalent actinide sorption behavior during an algal bloom, coupled with the association with a high-molecular weight (nominally 6000 to 10,000 mol wt) organic fraction in solution, indicate that solution-detritus cycling of organic carbon, in turn, may be the primary mechanism in amercium-curium (Am-Cm) cycling. Sorption by sedimentary materials appears to predominate over other factors controlling effective actinide solubility and may explain, at least partially, the absence of an expected strong positive correlation between carbonate and dissolved U. 49 references, 6 figures, 12 tables

Comparative food-chain behavior and distribution of actinide elements in and around a contaminated fresh-water pond

The bioaccumulation of /sup 233/ /sup 234/U, /sup 238/U, /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu, /sup 241/Am, and /sup 244/Cm in both native and introduced biota was studied at Pond 3513, a former low-level radioactive waste settling basin at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This system, which was decommissioned in 1976 after more than 30 years use, contains approximately 5 Ci of /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu; inventories of other actinide isotopes are considerably less. Significantly higher concentrations of actinides in fish that were allowed access to sediments indicated that sedimentary particulates may be the primary source of transuranics to biota in shallow fresh-water ecosystems. Our study determined habitat, in particular the degree of association of an organism with the sediment-water interface, to be the primary factor in controlling transuranic concentrations in aquatic biota. In most of the biological samples analyzed, excluding samples suspected of being contaminated by sediment, /sup 241/Am//sup 239/Pu, /sup 244/Cm//sup 239/Pu, and /sup 238/U//sup 239/Pu ratios were greater than the respective ratio in sediment while /sup 233/ /sup 234/U//sup 238/U, and /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu//sup 238/Pu ratios were not different from the respective ratios in sediment. The relative uptake of actinides from contaminated sediment by aquatic and terrestrial biota at this site was U > Cm greater than or equal to Am > Pu. The relative extractability of actinides from shoreline sediment was U > Cm approx. = Am > Pu; we also observed the same relative ranking for sediment-water exchange in situ. Concentrations of transuranics in water, terrestrial vegetation, and vertebrate carcasses were less than 10% of the recommended public exposure maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of the ICRP

Risk-based prioritization for the interim remediation of inactive low-level liquid radioactive waste underground storage tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The paper presents a risk-based approach for rapid prioritization of low-level liquid radioactive waste underground storage tanks (LLLW USTs), for possible interim corrective measures and/or ultimate closure. The ranking of LLLW USTs is needed to ensure that tanks with the greatest potential for adverse impact on the environment and human health receive top priority for further evaluation and remediation. Wastes from the LLLW USTs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory were pumped out when the tanks were removed from service. The residual liquids and sludge contain a mixture of radionuclides and chemicals. Contaminants of concern that were identified in the liquid phase of the inactive LLLW USTs include the radionuclides [sup 90]Sr, [sup 137]Cs, and [sup 233]U and the chemicals carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, methyl ethyl ketone, mercury, lead, and chromium. The risk-based approach for prioritization of the LLLW USTs is based upon three major criteria: (1) leaking characteristics of the tank, (2) location of the tanks, and (3) toxic potential of the tank contents. Leaking characteristics of LLLW USTs will aid in establishing the potential for the release of contaminants to environmental media. In this study, only the liquid phase was assumed to be released to the environment. Scoring criteria for release potential of LLLW USTs was determined after consideration of the magnitude of any known leaks and the tank type for those that are not known to leak

Issues in prioritization for remedial action at ORNL

A primary goal of the remedial action program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is to effect closure of existing sites of contamination by radioactive material so that public health will be protected now and in the future. An important aspect of planning for remedial action is assessing programmatic priorities. Two types of remedial actions can be the imposition of institutional controls over contaminated sites and cleanup and closure of sites to an extent sufficient to ensure protection of public health in the absence of institutional controls. Current efforts in prioritizing remedial action sites at ORNL have focused principally on identifying broad issues that must be addressed in developing remedial action strategies. This paper briefly discusses the regulatory and institutional issues of importance to the development of remedial action strategies; a preliminary assessment of radiation doses associated with current levels of radioactivity at contaminated sites and their environs, which can provide useful information on the need for and most appropriate types of remedial action; and data and modeling needs for prioritization and their relationship to different options for program planning. 7 refs

Analysis of possible future atmospheric retention of fossil fuel CO/sub 2/

This report investigates the likely rates and the potential range of future CO/sub 2/ emissions, combined with knowledge of the global cycle of carbon, to estimate a possible range of future atmospheric CO/sub 2/ concentrations through the year 2075. Historic fossil fuel usage to the present, growing at a rate of 4.5% per year until 1973 and at a slower rate of 1.9% after 1973, was combined with three scenarios of projected emissions growth ranging from approximately 0.2 to 2.8% per year to provide annual CO/sub 2/ emissions data for two different carbon cycle models. The emissions scenarios were constructed using an energy-economic model and by varying key parameters within the bounds of currently expected future values. The extreme values for CO/sub 2/ emissions in the year 2075 are 6.8 x 10/sup 15/ and 91 x 10/sup 15/ g C year/sup -1/. Carbon cycle model simulations used a range of year - 1800 preindustrial atmospheric concentrations of 245 to 292 ppM CO/sub 2/ and three scenarios of bioshere conversion as additional atmospheric CO/sub 2/ source terms. These simulations yield a range of possible atmospheric CO/sub 2/ concentrations in year 2075 of approximately 500 to 1500 ppM, with a median of about 700 ppM. The time at which atmospheric CO/sub 2/ would potentially double from the preindustrial level ranges from year 2025 to >2075. The practical, programmatic value of this forecast exercise is that it forces quantitative definition of the assumptions, and the uncertainties therein, which form the basis of our understanding of the natural biogeochemical cycle of carbon and both historic and future human influences on the dynamics of the global cycle. Assumptions about the possible range of future atmospheric CO/sub 2/ levels provide a basis on which to evaluate the implications of these changes on climate and the biosphere. 44 references, 17 figures, 21 tables

Analysis of the 1957-58 Soviet nuclear accident

The occurrence of a Soviet accident in the winter of 1957-58, involving the atmospheric release of reprocessed fission wastes (cooling time approximately 1-2 yrs.), appears to have been confirmed, primarily by an analysis of the USSR radioecology literature. Due to the high population density in the affected region (Cheliabinsk Province in the highly industrialized Urals Region) and the reported level of /sup 90/Sr contamination , the event probably resulted in the evacuation and/or resettlement of the human population from a significant area (100-1000 km/sup 2/). The resulting contamination zone is estimated to have contained approximately 10/sup 6/ Ci of /sup 90/Sr (reference radionuclide); a relatively small fraction of the total may have been dispersed as an aerosol. Although a plausible explanation for the incident exists (i.e., use of now-obsolete waste storage-/sup 137/Cs isotope separation techniques), it is not yet possible, based on the limited information presently available, to completely dismiss this phenomenon as a purely historical event. It seems imperative that we have a complete explanation of the causes and consequences of this incident. Soviet experience gained in application of corrective measures would be invaluable to the rest of the world nuclear community

Evaluation of the potential of ozone as a power plant biocide

A review of the literature on the chemistry and biological effects of ozone was conducted to evaluate the potential of ozone to function as a power plant biocide. Evaluation of this potential is dependent upon determining the ability of ozone to maintain the integrity of both the condenser cooling system and the associated ecosystem. The well-known bactericidal capacity of ozone and the limited biofouling control studies conducted thus far suggest that ozone can control both slime and macroinvertebrate fouling at power plants. However, full-scale demonstrations of the minimum levels of ozone required and of solution of the practical aspects of application have not been performed