Background Concentrations of Selected Radionuclides, Organic Compounds, and Chemical Constituents in Ground Water in the Vicinity of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

摘要

The report documents background concentrations of selected radionuclides and chemical constituents in ground water in the vicinity of the INEL. These constituents include both naturally occurring and anthropogenic constituents originating from nuclear weapons tests and other widespread sources. Background concentrations of constituents were compiled from chemical analyses of ground-water samples collected from wells at the INEL, in the Snake River Plain, and throughout the State of Idaho. Analyses of water samples from wells and irrigation wastewater drains 65 mi southwest of the INEL (Mann and Knobel, 1990) were used in the compilation. The distance between these sites and the INEL and estimated rates of ground-water flow preclude influence on water quality from operations at the INEL. The range, mean, and median of concentrations for respective constituents provided an indication of the distribution of these constituents in water. Data for local streams also were included to document background concentrations of these constituents in water entering the aquifer as recharge. Radionuclide and chemical data sets used in the report were selected because of their geographical distribution and because results were obtained using recent analytical methods and sensitive instrumentation.