| OSTI Document ID | 12621 |
|---|---|
| Local PDF | osti/12621.pdf |
| Title | Long-term risk from actinides in the environment: Modes of mobility. 1998 annual progress report |
| Creators/ Authors |
Breshears, D.D.; Whicker, J.J. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US)]; Ibrahim, S.A.; Whicker, F.W.; Hakonson, T.E. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (US)] |
| Publication Date | 1998 Jun 01 |
| Description/ Abstract |
'The mobility of actinides in surface soils is a key issue of concern at several DOE facilities in arid and semiarid environments, including Rocky Flats, Hanford, Nevada Test Site, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Key sources of uncertainty in assessing Pu mobility are the magnitudes of mobility resulting from three modes of transport: (1) wind erosion, (2) water erosion, and (3) vertical migration. Each of these three processes depend on numerous environmental factors and they compete with one another, particularly for actinides in very shallow soils ({approximately} 1 mm). The overall goal of the study is to quantify the mobility of soil actinides from all three modes. The authors study is using field measurements, laboratory experiments, and ecological modeling to address these three processes at three DOE facilities where actinide kinetics are of concern: WIPP, Rocky Flats, and Hanford. Wind erosion is being measured with suite of monitoring equipment, water erosion is being studied with rainfall simulation experiments, vertical migration is being studied in controlled laboratory experiments, and the three processes are being integrated using ecological modeling. Estimates for clean up of soil actinides for the extensive tracts of DOE land range to hundreds of billion $ in the US. Without studies of these processes, unnecessary clean-up of these areas may waste billions of dollars and cause irreparable ecological damage through the soil removal. Further, the outcomes of litigation against DOE are dependent on quantifying the mobility of actinides in surface soils.' |
| OSTI ID | 12621 |
| Report Numbers line line docnumall | |
| Other ID Numbers | ON: DE00012621 |
| Document Type | Technical Report |
| Research Organization | Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US) |
| Sponsor Organization | USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Science and Risk Policy |
| Bibliographic Source | DOEEMSP |
| Language | English |
| Pages/Size | 3 pages |
| System Entry Date | 2000 Feb 17 |
| Subject Category Code | 05; 58; 40 |
| Descriptors | Progress Report; Progress Report; Health Hazards; Health Hazards; Ecology; Ecology; Risk Assessment; Risk Assessment; High-Level Radioactive Wastes; High-Level Radioactive Wastes; Biogeochemistry; Biogeochemistry; Actinides; Actinides; Chemical Reactions; Chemical Reactions |
| Keywords | PROGRESS REPORT; HEALTH HAZARDS; ECOLOGY; RISK ASSESSMENT; HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES; BIOGEOCHEMISTRY; ACTINIDES; CHEMICAL REACTIONS |
| Reference Numbers | PA: EDB-99:087187 |