Methods to Account for CAP-88 PC-Omitted Nuclides in Radioactive Air Emissions from DOE Facilities

Amber Harshman, Patricia Scofield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Routine research and development activities at US Department of Energy facilities can result in the release of radioactive emissions, potentially exposing the public and the environment. Such emissions are subject to certain Clean Air Act regulations, specifically those outlined in 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart H, which are enforced by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Compliance is determined in part with a dose standard. Doses to members of the public from most US Department of Energy facility airborne emissions are modeled using CAP-88 PC software, the latest version of which contains more than 1,200 radionuclides. Radioactive effluents from US Department of Energy facilities may contain radioisotopes that are not available in CAP-88 PC, and those radioisotopes must still be evaluated to determine whether doses to members of the public are below established limits. CAP-88 PC-omitted radionuclides can be accounted for using alternate methods, including the use of surrogate radionuclides. This paper elucidates the process of accounting for CAP-88 PC-omitted radionuclides by providing criteria and rationale for surrogate selection, a compilation of surrogate radionuclides used in the past by US Department of Energy facilities, a discussion of alternate methods used to account for CAP-88 PC-omitted radionuclides and a comparison of methods and impacts on receptor doses. Ultimately, this paper aims to aid in the process of surrogate selection and consequently to simplify and expedite compliance with Clean Air Act regulations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)332-341
Number of pages10
JournalHealth Physics
Volume124
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2023

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (US DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the work for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the submitted manuscript version of this work, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. US DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the US DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ).

FundersFunder number
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of ScienceDE-AC05-00OR22725

    Keywords

    • effulents
    • emissions, atmospheric
    • modeling, dose assessment
    • operational topics

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