Re: Be-7 formation

["David Whitfill" <DWhitfil@kdhe.state.ks.us>]

I would imagine that the small, but relatively constant cosmogenic
production of Be-7 pales in comparison to the amount of the naturally
abundant (but non-radioactive) Be-9 that is released into the environment.
The following website may be of interest-

http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/dwh/c-ioc/berylliu.html

A small portion of information found at the site:

Production of beryllium metal was 490,000 lbs. in 1986. It is released
principally in the smoke stacks and ash wastes of power plants which burn
coal. It is also found in discharges from other industrial and municipal
operations. Rocket exhaust products also consist of various beryllium
compounds. From 1987 to 1993, according to the Toxics Release Inventory
beryllium releases to land and water totaled over 340,000 lbs. These
releases were primarily from copper rolling and drawing industries which
use it as a hardener in alloys. The largest releases occurred in
Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Beryllium Releases to Water and Land, 1987 to 1993 (in pounds):

                        Water             Land
TOTALS       1,314             341,721

Top Five States

PA                      653            174,250
OH                     490             166,292
MI                            5                 1,000
TX                           0                    174
MN                     142                        0

Major Industries

Copper rolling, drawing
                            405            180,502

Nonferrous metal smelting
                            481            151,790

Nonferrous rolling, drawing
                                 4                8,000

 Aluminum foundries
                                  5                1,000

 Blast furnaces, steelworks
                              250                   250

  Petroleum refining
                              142                  174





Kjell Johansen <kjell.johansen@wepco.com>@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu on
01/25/2000 10:23:15 AM

Please respond to radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu

Sent by:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu


To:   Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
cc:

Subject:  Be-7 formation


Be-7 is well known to be produced by the interaction of cosmic rays with
oxygen and nitrogen atoms in our atmosphere.  Recently, I ran across a
task force report by the International Joint Commission for the Great
Lakes which attributes Be-7 in the Great Lakes environment to nuclear
power plants.  I find this too far out to be considered seriously
because its natural production and occurrence have been known for
years.  (The natural formation of Be-7 is discussed in NCRP Report No.
94 and numerous articles on the natural radiation background.)  However,
in support of their conclusions, the authors of the report state that
some nuclear plants in the Great Lakes area have reported Be-7 in their
effluent. The authors go on to link the Be-7 and Be-10 to beryllosis and
lung cancer. I have found two nuclear plants that have reported Be-7 in
either gaseous or liquid effluent. Unfortunately for me, one is mine
before I came on board.  I believe that these reports are in error in
that the people writing the annual effluent reports were ignorant of the
natural production of Be-7 and therefore attributed to the plant.

The Rad Health Handbook (January 1970) gives two possible reactions to
produce Be-7: Li-6(d,n) and B-10(p,alpha).  Does anyone know if these
reactions are possible in a PWR?  If so, what would be the yield?

So, if any of you out there in RADSAFE space know whether the above
reactions can occur in a reactor or why they can't, I would appreciate
the enlightenment. Although there may be Li and B around, I just don't
see where there is going to be a source of high energy protons or
deuterons to make the reaction go forward, let alone produce enough Be-7
to be so evenly spread over thousands of square miles on the Midwest let
alone the world.

I have already done the environmental measurements to show we are not
the source of Be-7 and that it has to be natural.

Kjell Johansen
Wisconsin Electric Power Company
231 W. Michigan
Milwaukee, WI 53201
kjell.johansen@wepco.com
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