Application of in-situ gamma spectrometry in the remediation of radioactively contaminated soil

摘要

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) is a US Department of Energy site that is undergoing total remediation and closure. Most of the remediation effort entails massive excavation of soil for disposal, both offsite and onsite, at an engineered disposal facility. In-situ gamma spectrometry is routinely used to support soil excavation operations to accurately and quickly identify soil areas as being above or below regulatory remediation criteria. Two different in-situ gamma spectrometry systems are used. The first is a sodium iodide (NaI) detector mounted either on a tractor or a jogging stroller, depending on the terrain to be measured. The NaI system allows the collection of a gamma energy spectrum which can be analyzed to identify and quantify radioactive isotopes which are present within the detector's viewing area. Each energy spectrum is tagged by location coordinates provided by an on-board global positioning system (GPS) to precisely locate elevated contamination areas. The second is a tripod-mounted, high purity germanium detector (HPGe) gamma spectrometry system that is functionally similar to the NaI system. The principal advantage of the HPGe is its superior resolution, which allows much more accurate identification and quantification of radionuclide contaminants in soils. In order to effectively utilize the data quality objective process with these systems, three quality assurance (QA) elements had to be performed.