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At least 307 records · Page 17

Vadose Zone Model for BC Cribs and Trenches for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort; carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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Vadose Zone Model for U-10 West Area for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Transport Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort: carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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Vadose Zone Model for REDOX Ponds Area for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort: carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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An Overview of R and D on Retrievability and Retrieval Technology in Germany - 20462

Retrievability is a term that is included in most radioactive waste management programs around the world. Although national definitions vary, the overall understanding of retrievability concerns the ability to recover waste packages from the repository mine after their emplacement. Different countries may implement retrievability in very different ways, ranging from a built-in reversibility into the emplacement process to the stipulation that retrievability may in no way impede passive safety in the post-closure phase. Germany takes a middle course such that retrievability in a HLW repository (repository for high level radioactive waste) may have no significant detrimental effect on passive safety. In Germany, the current siting process considers rock salt, clay rock, and crystalline rock as potential host rocks. Therefore, Research and Development (R and D) has been investigating repository concepts and retrievability in all host rocks. After introduction of retrievability in 2010, existing repository concepts were modified to facilitate retrieval. The changes made comprised, for example, equipping boreholes with steel liners, developing new technologies, and modifying existing emplacement devices. Apart from retrieval of HLW, retrieval of other wastes from underground repositories that were designed and operated without retrievability in mind, poses major technical and scientific challenges. Currently, studies are under way to investigate the feasibility and costs of partial retrieval of waste from an underground repository for hazardous and highly toxic waste in France, Stocamine. With regard to retrieval, the rock-mechanical conditions are deteriorating rapidly, so time is of the essence. In the Asse II mine in Germany, about 126,500 waste casks with low and intermediate level waste await retrieval. The repository mine suffers from difficult rock-mechanical conditions and inflow of brine, locally into emplacement areas. The Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) is legally required to retrieve all wastes from the Asse. Due to the specific challenges, R and D is needed to develop technical solutions for the safe retrieval from each of the emplacement chambers. R and D on retrievability and retrieval technology does not only address challenges in radioactive or toxic waste retrieval but may also help to germinate innovation to better master complex underground situations in general, e.g. in deep mining, tunneling, or repository construction. (authors)

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Vadose Zone Model for T Plant Area for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort: carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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Vadose Zone Model for LLBG-200W A for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort: carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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Literature Review of Documented Persistent Secondary Uranium Sources at DOE LM Sites

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM) has the responsibility to protect human health and the environment at 101 legacy uranium sites across the nation by implementing long-term surveillance and maintenance requirements. Included in these responsibilities is to provide for the safe and environmentally sound disposal, long-term stabilization, and control of uranium mill tailings in a manner that minimizes or eliminates radiation health hazards to the public at 21 Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) Title I sites; 6 UMTRCA Title II sites; and 9 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sites. These sites are former uranium mills (processing sites), or sites with wastes from processing sites encapsulated in engineered disposal cells (disposal sites), or sites where components of atomic weapons were manufactured. During site characterization, groundwater contamination was often discovered and evaluated or modeled for future movement with the inclusion of uranium sorption in the groundwater plume. Much of this original work did identify uranium processing wastes as the original contaminant source. However, more recent work has identified the existence and influence of persistent secondary uranium sources that may prevent uranium in groundwater from attenuating as quickly as initial evaluations or modeling indicated. By understanding these processes, better decisions can be made to choose the appropriate remediation and closure strategies, identify long-term surveillance and maintenance activities, and more accurately estimate life-cycle costs. The purpose of this report is to summarize the literature available on documented persistence secondary uranium sources at LM sites as part of the Applied Studies and Technology Persistent Secondary Contaminant Sources Project.

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Vadose Zone Model for LLBG-218-E-10 for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort; carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070.

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Vadose Zone Model for B-3 Pond for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3. Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070. The scope of this ECF is to document the development and results of the B-3 Pond vadose zone model. The B-3 Pond model covers the main lobe of the 216-B-3 Pond System located in a topographic low east of the 200 East Area. The pond system operated from 1945 to 1997 and received effluents from the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant, B Plant, 284-E Powerhouse, and other 200 East Area facilities.

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Vadose Zone Model for LW Crib Area for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3 (CP-57037, Model Package Report: Plateau to River Groundwater Model, Version 8.3). Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The following 16 radionuclides were selected for this modeling effort: carbon-14 (C-14), chlorine-36 (Cl-36), tritium (H-3), iodine-129 (I-129), neptunium-237 (Np-237), rhenium-187 (Re-187), strontium-90 (Sr-90), technetium-99 (Tc-99), uranium-232 (U-232), uranium-233 (U-233), uranium-234 (U-234), uranium-235 (U-235), uranium-236 (U-236), uranium-238 (U-238), radium-226 (Ra-226), and thorium-230 (Th-230). The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070

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ISR Restoration Methods and Applicability to Groundwater Remediation at Abandoned Uranium Mills - 20342

There are numerous abandoned uranium mining and mill sites in the southwestern US. Surface remediation was undertaken in the 1980's and 90's to cover mill tailings and minimize infiltration of meteoric precipitation into the subsurface These actions have reduced the availability of tailings contaminants but many of these sites have persistent groundwater contamination, primarily due to the disposal of tailings and process fluids in unlined impoundments during the mill's operational life. Active in situ recovery (ISR) uranium mining and wellfield restoration practices are examined to determine the factors that contribute to the success of groundwater restoration. Hydrologic characteristics, geochemistry, ore body quality, regulatory requirements and the aboveground components of uranium production and water treatment are considered. While there is no such thing as a typical abandoned mill site, the potential use of ISR restoration methods is evaluated for viability as a remedial alternative to mine and mill sites that have residual contaminated groundwater plumes. (authors)

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Vadose Zone Model for B-3C Pond for Composite Analysis

The objectives of the vadose modeling for the updated Hanford Site composite analysis (CA) are to simulate the flow and transport of water and radionuclide releases from the surface to the water table and to provide radionuclide transfer rates for the plateau to river (P2R) model, version 8.3. Water additions include natural recharge and water discharged to the ground as a result of industrial processes associated with Hanford Site operations. Contaminant sources include radionuclides in water discharged to the ground during operations and radionuclides disposed “dry” in solid waste burial grounds or other means. The simulation time starts in 1943 and ends at 12070, which is 10,000 years after assumed Hanford Site closure in 2070. The scope of this ECF is to document the development and results of the B-3C Pond vadose zone model. The B-3C Pond model covers the 216-B-3C Expansion Pond of the 216-B-3 Pond System located in a topographic low east of the 200 East Area. The pond system operated from 1945 to 1997 and received effluents from the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant, B Plant, 284-E Powerhouse, and other 200 East Area facilities.

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Investigation into Reductive Separation of Tc-99 from Low Activity Waste Off-Gas Condensate by Zero Valent Iron Materials - 20311

This study is investigating the potential for reductive separation of technetium-99 (Tc) from off-gas condensate generated from vitrification of legacy tank waste at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Management of Tc is a high-priority activity for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) complex, which must be addressed based on knowledge gaps and technology development needs outlined in the DOE-EM Technetium Management Program Plan [1]. Technetium is one of the main risk drivers in the permanent disposal of low activity waste (LAW) by vitrification at the Hanford Site due to its high volatility and only fractional incorporation into borosilicate glass. Volatilized Tc will be captured by an off-gas treatment system, and the current plan is to continuously recycle generated condensate back to the LAW glass melter feed. Off-gas recycling is effective at increasing Tc loading in the LAW glass, but it also disproportionately increases concentrations of sulfate, halides, and other volatile compounds impeding overall LAW processing leading to significantly greater waste glass volume requirements. Removal of Tc from secondary liquid waste offers an alternative disposal route to continuous off-gas recycling which may result in significant reduction of the volumes of LAW waste glass and substantial cost savings. The objective of this research funded by the DOE-EM Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) is to determine the suitability of zero valent iron (ZVI) as a separation technology to remove Tc from the off-gas condensate stream to minimize its recycle. While ZVI has been proposed for various remediation applications with Tc, it has not been studied for its suitability for removing Tc from the LAW off-gas condensate. The goal is to identify the optimal conditions for which Tc{sup (VII)} will be reduced to Tc{sup (IV)} species and incorporated into an iron matrix. This paper presents a programmatic overview of our evaluation of commercial ZVI materials for their efficiency towards Tc{sup (VII)} reductive removal from simplified off-gas simulant solutions under aerobic conditions. Tc concentrations in solutions were monitored for up to 30 days to determine efficiency and kinetics of reductive removal of Tc. The best performing candidate materials were selected for further experiments evaluating the effects of (1) variable ionic strength, (2) the presence of chromium and corrosive anions, and (3) ZVI aging on Tc{sup (VII)} reductive removal in batch experiments. (authors)

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Irradiation Effect on Noble Metal Particles in Water Using in situ Liquid Cell STEM Observation

During geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in an engineered nuclear waste repository, once all other barriers have degraded, oxidizing may occur at the solid-water interface owing to a self-generated radiolytic field. The repository design includes large quantities of iron (Fe), that is anticipated to corrode under an anoxic environment, and generate hydrogen (H 2 ) gas. This H 2 gas is thought to be able to suppress the dissolution of SNF through a catalytic reaction with noble metal particles (NMP) that are pre-existing in the SNF. This interaction leads to the decomposition of the major oxidant, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). In conclusion, these processes are described in the Fuel Matrix Degradation (FMD) model that is being used to predict SNF degradation rates. The NMP, therefore, plays an important role within the FMD model.

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Groundwater and Intruder Radionuclide Screening

Solid Waste Management (SWM) operates the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (ELLWF) where low level on-site and off-site solid waste streams are buried. The facility has been in operation since late 1994 and is currently projected to remain in operation until 2065. This facility can accommodate a broad range of waste forms resulting from the six different types of disposal unit options (i.e., varying degrees of engineered barriers → trenches to concrete vaults). This facility is currently operating under a Performance Assessment (PA) issued back in 2008, along with several subsequent supporting Special Analyses (SA). The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed the prior PAs and SAs and has been tasked to update the facility’s PA. For operating the E-Area facility, a Waste Inventory Tracking System (e.g., WITS) is actively employed by waste generators where every radionuclide entering the facility (to be buried in one of its many disposal units1) must be either directly or indirectly accounted for. Since there is a large number of radionuclides in existence (>3,000), the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP-107) has provided guidance on the subset of radionuclides requiring further assessment in landfills such as the E-Area LLWF. The ICRP-107 publication provides critical radiological information on 1,252 radionuclides of 97 elements. This database is the critical starting point for developing a consistent inventory limit system. The explicit measurement and tracking of all 1,252 ICRP-107 radionuclides can be reduced when process knowledge, burial history, and radiological aspects are factored into conservative groundwater and intruder screening processes. Across the DOE complex these screening processes have been historically performed using the methodology suggested by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) as presented in their original report (NCRP 1984) and then refined in a later report (NCRP 1996). In the recommended screening models employed within this report the traditional NCRP models are updated to better handle progeny and better reflect the known characteristics of E-Area. This improved screening process is referred to as the “NCRP-like” method. Various upgrades to the traditional NCRP methodology have been used by others (e.g., NRC funded effort by Kennedy and Strenge 1992). The more detailed models by Kennedy and Strenge (1992) were considered in this effort and are compared to the results from the more traditional NCRP-like models. The groundwater and inadvertent intruder screening analyses presented in this report start with this 1,252 radionuclide list and reduces it down to more manageable lists that are applicable to the various disposal unit types contained within E-Area. In order to reduce this starting list, some level of exposure risk must be considered acceptable. Historically, a dose (or concentration level) has been compared with a screening criterion set to 1% of a performance measure (e.g., a betagamma dose not to exceed the 4 mrem/yr beta-gamma performance measure x 0.01 = 0.04 mrem/yr). Thus, if a radionuclide produced a bounding or screening-level dose (or concentrations) less than the screening criterion, it could be safely removed from further consideration. Several tiers of screening and bounding level analyses have been considered in this report.

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Acetonitrile Destruction in ETF Feed Solutions by UV/OX and Persulfate (Final Report)

The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams that include condensates from the 242-A evaporator, leachate from the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF), as well as laboratory wastes and, in the future, will treat liquid effluents from the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) leachate. Liquid effluents from the WTP will have significant concentrations of acetonitrile. Acetonitrile is formed by reaction of nitrates and sugar in the WTP low activity waste (LAW) melters and is prevalent in the submerged bed scrubber (SBS) and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) liquid effluents from WTP off-gas treatment. When these liquids are concentrated in the WTP Effluent Management Facility (EMF) evaporator in the direct feed low activity waste (DFLAW) flow-sheet, testing has shown that the majority of the acetonitrile partitions to the evaporator condensate. Since the evaporator condensate is directed to the ETF, this creates a potential issue with the ETF waste acceptance criteria and, specifically, the ETF Delisting Modification treatability envelope limits. Consequently, there is a need to assess possible mitigation approaches, one of which involves identification and assessment of potential treatment processes to destroy the acetonitrile, which is the subject of the present report.

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Groundwater and Intruder Radionuclide Screening

Solid Waste Management (SWM) operates the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (ELLWF) where low level on-site and off-site solid waste streams are buried. The facility has been in operation since late 1994 and is currently projected to remain in operation until 2065. This facility can accommodate a broad range of waste forms resulting from the six different types of disposal unit options (i.e., varying degrees of engineered barriers → trenches to concrete vaults). This facility is currently operating under a Performance Assessment (PA) issued back in 2008, along with several subsequent supporting Special Analyses (SA). The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed the prior PAs and SAs and has been tasked to update the facility’s PA. For operating the E-Area facility, a Waste Inventory Tracking System (e.g., WITS) is actively employed by waste generators where every radionuclide entering the facility (to be buried in one of its many disposal units) must be either directly or indirectly accounted for. Since there is a large number of radionuclides in existence (>3,000), the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP-107) has provided guidance on the subset of radionuclides requiring further assessment in landfills such as the E-Area LLWF. The ICRP-107 publication provides critical radiological information on 1,252 radionuclides of 97 elements. This database is the critical starting point for developing a consistent inventory limit system. The explicit measurement and tracking of all radionuclides are not necessary when process knowledge, burial history, and radiological aspects are factored into conservative groundwater and intruder screening processes. Across the DOE complex these screening processes have been historically performed using the methodology suggested by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) as presented in their original report (NCRP 1984) and then refined in a later report (NCRP 1996). In the recommended screening models employed within this report the traditional NCRP models are updated to better handle progeny and better reflect the known characteristics of E-Area. This improved screening process is referred to as the “NCRP-like” method. Various upgrades to the traditional NCRP methodology have been used by others (e.g., NRC funded effort by Kennedy and Strenge 1992). The more detailed models by Kennedy and Strenge (1992) were considered in this effort and are compared to the results from the more traditional NCRP-like models. The groundwater and inadvertent intruder screening analyses presented in this report start with this 1,252 radionuclide list and reduces it down to more manageable lists that are applicable to the various disposal unit types contained within E-Area. In order to reduce this starting list, some level of exposure risk must be considered acceptable. Historically, a dose (or concentration level) has been compared with a screening criterion set to 1% of a performance measure (e.g., a beta-gamma dose not to exceed the 4 mrem/yr beta-gamma performance measure x 0.01 = 0.04 mrem/yr). Thus, if a radionuclide produced a bounding or screening-level dose (or concentrations) less than the screening criterion, it could be safely removed from further consideration. Several tiers of screening and bounding level analyses have been considered in this report.

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Testing of UV Oxidation Process for Acetonitrile Destruction

The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams that include condensates from the 242-A evaporator, leachate from the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF), as well as laboratory wastes and, in the future, will treat liquid effluents from the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) and Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) leachate. Liquid effluents from the WTP will have significant concentrations of acetonitrile. Acetonitrile is formed by reaction of nitrates and sugar in the WTP low activity waste (LAW) melters and is prevalent in the submerged bed scrubber (SBS) and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) liquid effluents from WTP off-gas treatment. When these liquids are concentrated in the WTP Effluent Management Facility (EMF) evaporator in the direct feed low activity waste (DFLAW) flow-sheet, testing has shown that the majority of the acetonitrile partitions to the evaporator condensate. Since the evaporator condensate is directed to the ETF, this creates a potential issue with the ETF waste acceptance criteria and, specifically, the ETF Delisting Modification treatability envelope limits. Consequently, there is a need to assess possible mitigation approaches, one of which involves identification and assessment of potential treatment processes to destroy the acetonitrile, which is the subject of the present report.

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