Re: Sr-90 in water bodies

[mgoldman@ucdavis.edu (Dr. Marvin Goldman)]

>Greetings.  Here at Brookhaven, we have been under intense public scrutiny
>regarding the results that have been published in recent years in our Site
>Environmental Report; in particular, our radiation measurements, of course.
>The current hot topic involves charges made about radioactivity in the
>Peconic River, essentially a small stream on site which becomes larger
>farther downstream.
>
>We have analyzed water from this river for all radiological parameters
>including strontium-90 on a routine basis, both on-site and several miles
>downstream.  We have observed positive results both in the river and at a
>background "control" location SW of the Lab, albeit at levels close to our
>detection limit.  The levels observed in the river samples and the control
>samples are essentially equal.  However, we're concerned that despite this,
>certain groups who have an axe to grind will credit Brookhaven with
>"contaminating" the control location as well.
>What I'm searching for is a reference which quotes measured values in water
>bodies nowhere near nuclear facilities (I have plenty of data for rivers
>around power plants and the like).  I need something which shows that indeed
>Sr-90 can be seen in environmental water samples in the tenths of a pCi/L
>range.  Can 60's weapons fallout account for this?
>
>All responses appreciated, please respond  _directly_  to
>schroede@mail.sep.bnl.gov.  (Any similar info on Cs-137 in water would also
>be nice.)
>===============
>Gary L. Schroeder
>Brookhaven National Laboratory
>schroede@mail.sep.bnl.gov
Check with DOE's EML Lab in NYC, which has archives on Sr-90, past, present
&future