Radionuclide Content of an Exhumed Canyon Vessel and Neighboring Soil.

摘要

The long-term hazard potential associated with burial of process equipment from radiochemical separations plants is being evaluated. As part of this evaluation, a feed adjustment tank was exhumed eighteen years after burial. The tank had been in service in the fuel reprocessing plant for twenty-nine months before it was retired. Assay of the exhumed tank indicated that 7mg (0.4mCi) of exp 239Pu and 1mCi of exp 137Cs remained on its surfaces; 1.1mg (0.07mCi) exp 239Pu, 0.4mCi exp 137Cs,and 3.5mCi exp 90Sr were found in neighboring soil. The vessel and surrounding soil have met the present guidelines (less than or equal to 10nCi/g) of the U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) for nonretrievable waste. (ERA citation 02:020866)