Field Pu Characterizations

[Jim Hardeman <Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us>]

My fellow RADSAFE colleagues --

While we're talking about field Pu determinations,
I'd like to see if any of you could share any insights
regarding accident and post-accident
assessments. My questions are:

1)	What instrumentation is available to detect
Pu-238 and/or Pu-239 in air at concentrations
which would result in a dose of 1 rem TEDE during
plume passage? For the sake of argument, I would
assume exposure time to be one (1) hour.
Instrumentation could include continuous monitors
or grab (i.e. sample then analyze) systems.

2)	Can anyone give me a feel for the amount of
time (acres or square miles per day, etc.) it might
require to adequately characterize large land areas
to determine the presence or absence of Pu-238
and/or Pu-239 at concentrations equivalent to the
EPA Protective Action Guides for ingestion and
relocation? What technologies, other than sampling
and analysis, might one employ in assessing such a
situation?

Unless you feel that the rest of the RADSAFE
community would like to hear about this, please feel
free to respond directly to me at my e-mail address
below. Thanks in advance for your help.

Jim Hardeman, Manager
Environmental Radiation Program
Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
4244 International Parkway, Suite 114
Atlanta, GA 30354
(404) 362-2675  fax: (404) 362-2653
Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us