Sampling airborne radioactive materials from the stacks and ducts of nuclear facilities

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Radioactive Materials

Clearance/Exemption Levels for Slightly Radioactive Materials Arising From Nuclear Decommissioning and Non-Nuclear Industries

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Pescatore ◽  
Lucien Teunckens ◽  
Shankar Menon
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Substantial Fraction ◽  
Radioactive Materials ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Nuclear Decommissioning ◽  
The Cost

Abstract The management of the relatively large volumes of slightly radioactively contaminated material, arising from the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, represents a substantial fraction of the cost of such projects. The recycling of a relevant fraction of this material (or its reuse or disposal) without radiological restrictions, was identified by a Task Group of the OECD/NEA Co-operative Programme on Decommissioning, as a significant means of reducing such costs. The lack of internationally accepted “clearance levels” of radioactivity, at which the material could be utilised without radiological restrictions, seriously limits recycling as a waste management option. The emergence of the NORM/TENORM issue is of great significance for the discussion of clearance regulations. TENORM arisings occur in huge quantities, two to three orders of magnitude larger than those used in European studies on recycling in the nuclear industry, and the activity levels are generally the same as in very low to low-level nuclear waste. The regulation of TENORM is in its early stages. Their occurrence in a large number of industries, as well as their activity levels and quantities, has not been generally appreciated, even by regulatory authorities, until fairly recently. National and international bodies have suggested or are in the process of suggesting regulations for TENORM. The most important development is the publication of the European Commission Directive of May 1996 (ratified in May 2000) laying down basic safety standards for protection against ionising radiation, arising both in the nuclear and non-nuclear industries. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also started looking into this area in connection with the revision of its Safety Series 89 document. Significant to note is that both these bodies suggest release criteria into the general economy that are more relaxed for the radioactive materials from non-nuclear industries than for similarly contaminated material from nuclear industries. This issue is being taken up by several other bodies as well. This paper reviews the current debate and underlines the need for consistency in developing regulations and criteria for exemption and clearance of all radioactive materials regardless of their origin.

Experience of Clean-Up Activities and Feedback to Future D&D Projects: Japan Power Demonstration Reactor Decommissioning Project

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Yanagihara ◽  
Mitsuo Tachibana ◽  
Taro Shimada ◽  
Takenori Sukegawa ◽  
Kunio Shiraishi
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Radioactive Materials ◽  
Treatment Policy ◽  
Regulatory Systems ◽  
Building Surfaces ◽  
Radiological Characterization ◽  
Radioactive Waste Treatment

Abstract In the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR) decommissioning project, the procedure for clean-up activities was specially studied for harmonization with radioactive waste treatment policy in Japan; it consisted of several components such as survey of the facility operational history, radiological characterization of building surfaces, decontamination and final survey of radioactivities. After confirming that there was no significant radioactivity in the facilities in the final step of the procedure, buildings were demolished in consideration of treatment of wastes as non-radioactive materials. The JPDR decommissioning project was completed by March 1996 with no serious problems, which showed that the procedure was rational, and that the experiences are useful for planning of future decommissioning activities. The dismantling and clean-up activities were reviewed, and the experiences are excepted to contribute to establishing standard and regulatory systems on decommissioning nuclear facilities.

Successful Implementation of a Behavioral Safety Program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Balkey ◽  
J. F. Kleinsteuber ◽  
R. E. Wieneke
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Los Alamos ◽  
Radioactive Materials ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Safety Program ◽  
Behavioral Safety

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is one of two design laboratories in the United States Department of Energy (DOE) weapons complex, with over 60 years of experience in handling hazardous and radioactive materials. Actinide research and development are performed in two nuclear facilities. The Plutonium Facility has been in operation since 1978, and the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research (CMR) Facility was built in 1952. The Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division is responsible for operating both facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner. At these NMT Division nuclear facilities, the primary hazards that are associated with chemicals and radioactive materials are well controlled, with minimal risk to the workforce and the public. Most workforce injuries are physical or ergonomic in nature. In an effort to increase safety awareness and to decrease accidents and incidents, a program focusing on identifying and eliminating unsafe behaviors was initiated. This process is named ATOMICS (for Allowing Timely Observations Measures Increased Commitment to Safety). Workers are trained on how to conduct safety observations of one another and given guidance on specific behaviors to note. Observations are structured to have minimal impact on the workload and are shared by the entire workforce. This program has effectively decreased an already low accident rate and will make long-term sustainability possible. The behavior-based safety process engages the workforce in the implementation and utilization of their own safety initative. The process is based on the simple act of having workers observe other workers and provide feedback on safe and at-risk behaviors. Observations typically take 10 to 15 minutes. Observations are strictly conducted under the conditions that no names are used and no blame is placed. A prospective observer takes 2 days of training on how to perform observations. To date, this behavioral safety program has been effective in further reducing the low accident/injury rate for the division. Most of the division’s workforce has taken observer training, and about half of those trained perform approximately 2500 observations per year on work conducted in NMT Division nuclear facilities.

Discussion on “The Sir Alfred Herbert paper, 1953. The industrial applications of radioactive materials”

1953 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 450
Author(s):  
F.E. Simon ◽  
John Cockcroft ◽  
Henry Seligman ◽  
Burton Foringer ◽  
A.O'B Brandon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Radioactive Materials

STUDIES ON THYROIDAL COLLOID PINOCYTOSIS USING A DOUBLE ISOTOPE TECHNIQUE

1972 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario A. Pisarev ◽  
Noe Altschuler ◽  
Leslie J. DeGroot
Keyword(s):  
Acid Phosphatase ◽  
Thyroid Hormone ◽  
Trichloroacetic Acid ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Acid Precipitation ◽  
Solvent System ◽  
Blood Stream ◽  
Radioactive Materials ◽  
Isotope Technique ◽  
Double Isotope

ABSTRACT The process of secretion of the thyroid hormone involves several steps: pinocytosis of thyroglobulin, fusion of the colloid droplets with the lysosomes, digestion of thyroglobulin by a cathepsin, dehalogenation of tyrosines and release of thyronines into the blood stream. The present paper describes a double isotope technique for studying the first two steps. Thyrotrophin (TSH) administration to rats increased the radioactivity present in all fractions, specially in the 15 000 × g pellet. When the subcellular distribution of acid phosphatase was determined, the highest specific activity was found in this fraction, thus indicating the presence of lysosomes. The content of radioactive materials in the 15 000 × g pellet was analyzed by trichloroacetic acid precipitation and by ascending paper chromatography using n-butanol:ethanol:ammonium hydroxide (5:1:2;v/v) as solvent system. The results obtained showed that 90% of the radioactivity was protein bound and strongly suggest that this material is thyroglobulin.

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