Development of the remote-handled transuranic waste radioassay data quality objectives. An evaluation of RH-TRU waste inventories, characteristics, radioassay methods and capabilities

摘要

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant will accept remote-handled transuranic waste as early as October of 2001. Several tasks must be accomplished to meet this schedule, one of which is the development of Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) and corresponding Quality Assurance Objectives (QAOs) for the assay of radioisotopes in RH-TRU waste. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was assigned the task of providing to the DOE QAO, information necessary to aide in the development of DQOs for the radioassay of RH-TRU waste. Consistent with the DQO process, information needed and presented in this report includes: identification of RH-TRU generator site radionuclide data that may have potential significance to the performance of the WIPP repository or transportation requirements; evaluation of existing methods to measure the identified isotopic and quantitative radionuclide data; evaluation of existing data as a function of site waste streams using documented site information on fuel burnup, radioisotope processing and reprocessing, special research and development activities, measurement collection efforts, and acceptable knowledge; and the current status of technologies and capabilities at site facilities for the identification and assay of radionuclides in RH-TRU waste streams. This report is intended to provide guidance in developing the RH-TRU waste radioassay DQOs, first by establishing a baseline from which to work, second, by identifying needs to fill in the gaps between what is known and achievable today and that which will be required before DQOs can be formulated, and third, by recommending measures that should be taken to assure that the DQOs in fact balance risk and cost with an achievable degree of certainty.