Environmental Monitoring for Radionuclides, Chemicals, Fish and Wildlife at a US Energy Research Facility: A Case Story.

摘要

Environmental monitoring has been an ongoing activity on the US Department of Energy's 560 m(sup 2) Hanford Site in southeastern Washington, USA, for 45 years. Objectives are to detect and assess potential impacts of site operations on air, surface and ground water, foodstuffs, fish, wildlife, soils and vegetation. Data from monitoring efforts are used to calculate the overall radiological dose to humans working onsite or residing in nearby communities. In 1988, measured Hanford Site perimeter concentrations of airborne radionuclides were below applicable guidelines. Tritium and nitrate continued to be the most widespread constituents in onsite ground water. Concentrations of radionuclides and nonradiological water quality in the Columbia River were in compliance with applicable standards. Foodstuffs irrigated with river water downstream of the Site showed low levels of radionuclides that were similar to concentrations found in foodstuffs from control areas. Low levels of (sup 90)Sr and (sup 137)Cs in some onsite wildlife samples and concentrations of radionuclides in soils and vegetation from onsite and offsite locations were typical of those attributable to worldwide fallout. The calculated dose potentially received by a maximally exposed individual (i.e., based on hypothetical assumptions for all routes of exposure) in 1988 (0.08 mrem/yr) was similar to that calculated for 1985 through 1987. 31 refs., 3 figs.