CONCEPTUAL SITE MODELS AS A TOOL IN EVALUATING ECOLOGICAL HEALTH: THE CASE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S AMCHITKA ISLAND NUCLEAR TEST SITE

摘要

Managers of contaminated sites are faced with options ranging from monitoring natural attenuation to complete removal of contaminants to meet residential health standards Conceptual site models (CSMs) are one tool used by the U S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other environmental managers to understand, track, help with decisions, and communicate with the public about the risk from contamination CSMs are simplified graphical representations of the sources, releases, transport and exposure pathways, and receptors, along with possible barriers to interdict pathways and reduce exposure In this article, three CSMs are created using Amchitka Island, where the remaining contamination is from underground nuclear test shot cavities containing large quantities of numerous radionuclides in various physical and chemical forms.