Xenon-133: ambient activity from nuclear power stations.

The average activity of xenon-133 within and at approximately 100 kilometers from Albany, New York, from April to July 1975 was 2.6 picocuries per cubic meter of air. The source was gaseous effluents from boiling water reactors located in the northeastern United States. Its 5.29-day half-life makes xenon-133 an appropriate isotope to observe for the study of regional and hemispheric dispersion of pollutants.

Radioactive plume from the Three Mile Island accident: xenon-133 in air at a distance of 375 kilometers.

The transit of an air mass containing radioactive gas released from the Three Mile Island reactor was recorded in Albany, New York, by measuring xenon-133. These measurements provide an evaluation of Three Mile Island effluents to distances greater than 100 kilometers. Two independent techniques identified xenon-133 in ambient air at concentrations as high as 3900 picocuries per cubic meter. The local gamma-ray whole-body dose from the passing radioactivity amounted to 0.004 millirem, or 0.004 percent of the annual dose from natural sources.

Radon and thoron emanation from uranium-glazed tableware.

Radon and thoron gas emanation from tableware with ceramic glazes containing elevated uranium levels was determined using alpha-scintillation cells. Though gamma spectroscopy noted significant uranium concentrations in the glazed, no radioactive gas emanation was observed, contradicting a previous report.

Radon measurements and mitigation at a fish hatchery.

Groundwater radon concentration of 83 Bq L(-1) generated indoor radon levels exceeding 3,300 Bq m(-3) at a commercial fish hatchery. Passive and active mitigation strategies to reduce the waterborne radon levels included a packed column, a waterfall through perforated grates, surface aeration, and bottom bubblers. Waterborne concentrations were reduced up to 83% using a combination of mitigation procedures, but a comparable reduction in indoor radon concentrations was not observed. A diurnal cycle showed that indoor radon levels peaked in early afternoon, probably as a result of warmer air being dissolved in the water during mitigation. Reduction of indoor radon levels below 148 Bq m(-3) was seldom achievable with both water mitigation and direct air ventilation at 23 room air changes hourly.