Threshold, LNT and practical applications

["Erik C. Nielsen" <enielsen@iw.edwpub.com>]

My organization recently received a RFP (Request for Proposal) for a
assessment/cleanup at a DOE site in the Oakland, CA area. The organization
was soliciting analytical services and specified certain CRDL's(Contract
Required Detection Limits).

Having a little background in pathway analysis and risk assessment, you can
understand my consternation when I read the following detection limit
requirements for soil samples:

Gamma Spectroscopy Isotopes

Co-60   0.005 pCi/g (yes really 5 fCi/g)
Cs-137  0.01 pCi/g

In response to questions about these detection limits, the response was
"count the sample longer....How long will you have to count?"  (My
guestimate is 5000 min ~3 days). Other "exceptional" detection limits were:

Gross alpha     1 pCi/g
Gross beta      1 pCi/g
Sr-90           0.05 pCi/g
Am-241          0.01 pCi/g

The final caveat was that any positive or negative result be accompanied by
a <25% counting uncertainty. Where do requirements like this come from?
Certainly not risk based. This borders on waste, fraud and abuse in DOE
contracting.  What lab can bid on these detection limits in good conscience?
These detection limits might be appropriate if the sample matrix were feces
for bioassy...but for soil contamination?

What does the DOE hope to accomplish by these detection limits?...Show that
NO risk exists?

Any suggestions to remedy this situation or inject reality? 

Erik 8-}

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The delegation of responsibility, must be accompanied by authority and
accountability. (Army Training Manual for the Radiation Safety Officer)
Standard denials apply.
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Erik C. Nielsen
Quanterra Incorporated
13715 Rider Trail North
St. Louis, MO 63045

(314) 298-8566 ext 224
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Personal E-Mail  mailto:enielsen@iw.edwpub.com
Business E-Mail  mailto:nielsene@QUANTERRA.COM
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