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At least 217 records · Page 12

FY 2020 Radionuclide Migration Project Status

The Waste Management Project provides safe, compliant, and cost-effective waste management services for the Hanford Site and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex. Part of these services includes safe disposal of low-level waste and mixed low-level waste at the Hanford Low-Level Waste Burial Grounds in accordance with the requirements of DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. To partially satisfy these requirements, performance assessment analyses were completed and approved. DOE Order 435.1 also requires continuing data collection to increase confidence in the critical assumptions used in these analyses to characterize the operational features of the disposal facility that are relied on to satisfy the performance objectives identified in the order.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

High-precision measurements of half-lives for 69 Ge, 73 Se, 83 Sr, 85 mSr, and 63 Zn radionuclides relevant to the astrophysical p-process via photoactivation at the Madison Accelerator Laboratory

The ground state half-lives of 69 Ge, 73 Se, 83 Sr, 63 Zn, and the half-life of the 1/2 - isomer in 85 Sr have been measured with high precision using the photoactivation technique at an unconventional bremsstrahlung facility that features a repurposed medical electron linear accelerator. The γ -ray activity was counted over about 6 half-lives with a high-purity germanium detector, enclosed into an ultra low-background lead shield. The measured half-lives are: T 1/2 ( 69 Ge) = 38.82 ± 0.07 (stat) ± 0.06 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 73 Se) = 7.18 ± 0.02 (stat) ± 0.004 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 83 Sr) = 31.87 ± 1.16 (stat) ± 0.42 (sys) h; T 1/2 ( 85m Sr) = 68.24 ± 0.84 (stat) ± 0.11 (sys) min; T 1/2 ( 63 Zn) = 38.71 ± 0.25 (stat) ± 0.10 (sys) min. These high-precision half-life measurements will contribute to a more accurate determination of corresponding ground-state photoneutron reaction rates, which are part of a broader effort of constraining statistical nuclear models needed to calculate stellar nuclear reaction rates relevant for the astrophysical p -process nucleosynthesis.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Retention of radionuclides in sol–gel surrogate nuclear explosive debris

Sol–gel vitrification can be used to rapidly produce solid, vitreous materials to support nuclear forensics research. Here, this work investigates three sol–gel synthetic approaches’ ability to retain fission products within the glass as a function of drying temperature. Eight of the ten fission products studied were quantitatively retained (less than 5% losses) at temperatures up to 600 °C for glasses prepared using an acidic catalyst and at temperatures up to 300 °C for glasses prepared using a basic catalyst. Both systems show partial loss of ruthenium and complete loss of iodine at temperatures above 300 and 100 °C, respectively.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Evaluation of hydroxamate-based resins towards a more clinically viable 44 Ti/ 44 Sc radionuclide generator

For this research, several hydroxamate-based resins were synthesized and tested for use in 44 Ti/ 44 Sc generator systems in small scale experiments (740 kBq 44 Ti). The most promising resin was tested further in larger scale generator studies (37 MBq). This resin displayed impressive retention of 44 Ti over several elutions, and high quantities of 44 Sc were obtained in small volumes of dilute HCl eluents. Initial radiolabeling experiments were conducted and demonstrated the possibility of direct radiolabeling of the generator produced 44 Sc with DOTA.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Biomass and salt-dependent effects of Bacillus spores on radionuclide migration from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Spores of a Bacillus sp., isolated from radioactive waste, were tested for their ability to influence the fate and transport of neodymium (Nd3+) under high salt conditions expected at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) nuclear waste repository. Spores were suspended in neodymium-spiked saline solutions up to 4 M NaCl, and concentrations of Nd and the complexing agent dipicolinic acid (DPA), a component of spores, were monitored along with optical densities and spore numbers. Overall, results support neodymium bioassociation that is dependent upon biomass, with more apparent adsorption occurring at higher spore concentrations. However, probable spore lysis in 2 and 4 M NaCl solutions and possible germination at 0.15 M NaCl appear to drive the release of DPA and subsequent return of Nd to solution. The implications of this work for the WIPP will depend on actual biomass levels and the ionic strength of the repository brines.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Comparison of atmospheric radionuclide dispersion models for a risk-informed consequence-driven advanced reactor licensing framework

Current nuclear facility emergency planning zones (EPZs) are based on outdated distance-based criteria, predating comprehensive dose and risk-informed frameworks. Recent advancements in simulation tools have permitted the development of site-specific, dose, and risk-based consequence-driven assessment frameworks. This study investigated the computation of advanced reactor (AR) EPZs using two atmospheric dispersion models: a straight-line Gaussian plume model (GPM) and a semi-Lagrangian Particle in Cell (PIC). Two case studies were conducted: (1) benchmarking the NRC SOARCA study for the Peach Bottom Nuclear Generating Station and (2) analyzing an advanced INL Heat Pipe Design A microreactor's end-of-cycle inventory. The dose criteria for both cases were 10 mSv at mean weather conditions and 50 mSv at 95th percentile weather conditions at 96 h post-release. Results demonstrated that GPM and PIC estimated similar mean peak dose levels for large boiling water reactors in the farfield case, placing EPZ limits beyond current regulations. For ARs with source terms remaining in the nearfield, PIC modeling without specific nearfield considerations could result in excessively high doses and inaccurate EPZ designations. PIC dispersion demonstrated an order of magnitude higher estimate of nearfield inhalation dose contribution when compared to GPM results. Furthermore, both models significantly reduced EPZ sizing within the nearfield. Thus, reductions in the AR source term may eliminate the need for a separate EPZ.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗