RESUMO
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment sponsored a study to reconstruct contaminant doses to the public from operations at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility. This analysis of routine releases of plutonium and uranium, the principal radioactive materials used at the plant, was part of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment study. Historical radionuclide monitoring and data handling practices are characterized and uncertainties are quantified. Estimates of the annual release of plutonium and uranium are provided for the period from 1953 to 1989. Off-site airborne concentrations and deposition of plutonium and uranium associated with the releases are estimated, along with the highest doses for off-site populations. The predicted effective doses from the routine release of plutonium and uranium from Rocky Flats for a person residing near the plant boundary between 1953 and 1989 are very small.
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Doses de Radiação , Colorado , Humanos , Guerra Nuclear , Plutônio/análise , Urânio/análiseRESUMO
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment sponsored a study to reconstruct contaminant doses to the public from the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. This analysis of the September 1957 fire in a plutonium fabrication building that breached the building air filtration system is part of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment study. The plutonium release from this fire is estimated using environmental data collected around the time of the fire and an air dispersion model. The approximate upper bound on the total plutonium release from the fire is 1.9 GBq (0.05 Ci), with an uncertainty of about two orders of magnitude. Off-site air concentrations and deposition of plutonium resulting from the approximate upper-bound release are estimated. The highest predicted off-site effective dose resulting from the approximate upper-bound release is about 13 microSv (1.3 mrem).
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Plutônio/análise , Liberação Nociva de Radioativos , Colorado , Humanos , Guerra Nuclear , Doses de RadiaçãoRESUMO
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDH) sponsored a study to reconstruct contaminant doses to the public from operations at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. This analysis of the accidental release of plutonium from the area known as the 903 Pad is part of the CDH study. In the 1950's and 1960's, 55-gallon drums of waste oil contaminated with plutonium, and uranium were stored outdoors at the 903 Pad. The drums corroded, leaking contaminated oil onto soil subsequently carried off-site by the wind. The plutonium release is estimated using environmental data from the 1960's and 1970's and an atmospheric transport model for fugitive dust. The best estimate of total plutonium release to areas beyond plant-owned property is about 0.26 TBq (7 Ci). Off-site airborne concentrations and deposition of plutonium are estimated for dose calculation purposes. The best estimate of the highest predicted off-site effective dose is approximately 72 microSv (7.2 mrem).
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Plutônio/análise , Liberação Nociva de Radioativos , Poluentes Radioativos do Solo/análise , Colorado , Humanos , Guerra NuclearRESUMO
A modeling study of atmospheric diffusion indicates that emission from power plants contributed only a modest percentage of the yearly average concentration of sulfur dioxide at ground level in the most polluted areas of Cook County, Illinois, during 1968.