[ RadSafe ] Fw: Uranium contamination

[Cary Renquist]

Why?  
Public perception and politics.  
(especially since we are dealing with evil weapons radiation and not benign natural or medical radiation)

The driving issue is that there is likely a regulatory requirement to clean up this material -- the health and safety decision was made when the decommissioning criteria were set (which means that it is probably more of a political decision that a true health-n-safety one).
I imagine that U was chosen because the DOE has responsibility for sites where U is the main contaminant and not other toxic metals... Or it might be that there isn't a bacteria that can "fix" the other metal species. 

Does "technologically enhanced" U concentration in the soil constitute a credible threat -- not bloody likely.  There could very well be a geological formation a few miles down the road that leads to U levels that are far higher than the "enhanced" DOE sites, but unfortunately regulatory requirements demand that we be good boy scouts and leave our licensed site in the same condition that we found it (if not better condition).

It is a bit similar to the fact that as a rad licensee, I need to be very careful to monitor what goes out of my facilities and how I transport rad material, but I can pick up a family member from the hospital on my way home and transport 150 mCi+ of I-131 unshielded/labeled/etc, have dose rates greater than 2 mR in any one hour outside my house, and release unmonitored material through the sewer.  If I dump 150 mCi of I-131 on the bushes outside of my licensed facility I'll be in big regulatory trouble -- if my family member gets car sick and throws-up 150 mCi on the bushes outside of my house, there is no problem.

Cary

---
cary.renquist at ezag.com


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Jerry Cohen
Sent: Wednesday, 31 March 2010 14:43
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Fw: Uranium contamination

Uranium is just one of the 92+ elements in soil.  Why choose it for such a study. Why not lead, cadmium, mercury, etc.  I would assume, that for some reason, U is considered to be an exceptionally hazerdous material to justify expenive remediation. I was trying to learn what that reason might be.
Jerry Cohen


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Jerry Cohen <jjc105 at yahoo.com>
To: Cary Renquist <cary.renquist at ezag.com>; radsafe <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Fri, March 19, 2010 8:14:02 PM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Uranium contamination


Does the existence of Uranium contamination in soil constitute a credible threat to heath and safety, or is this just another costly federal "feel-good" program? If such uranium contamination is really a problem, what should be done with the millions of tons of uranium in the oceanic coastal waters. We even allow children to swim in it. 
Jerry Cohen



________________________________
From: Cary Renquist <cary.renquist at ezag.com>
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Sent: Fri, March 19, 2010 6:10:01 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Argonne scientists seek natural remediation for uranium-rich sites

They are looking to understand and optimize the conditions under which
bacteria can 
transform U(IV) <soluble> to U(VI) <insoluble>

Argonne scientists seek natural remediation for uranium-rich sites 
Link  http://j.mp/b3AHAh


Cary
-- 
Cary.renquist at ezag.com

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