Derivation of guidelines for uranium residual radioactive material in soil at the Colonie Site, Colonie, New York

Dunning, D.E.

doi:10.2172/259653

Cited by 1 publication

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“…In , highly conservative when compared to 190 pCi g -1 derived by Dunning (1996). Remediation of the site and limited remediation of surrounding properties, involving removal and disposal of contaminated soils, is reported to have cost US$ 190 million (Dlouhy 2009).…”

Section: Site Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution of depleted uranium contamination in Colonie, NY, USA

Lloyd

Chenery

Parrish

2009

Science of The Total Environment

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Uranium oxide particulates were dispersed into the environment from a factory in Colonie (NY, USA) by prevailing winds during the 1960's and '70's. Uranium concentration and isotope ratios from bulk soil samples have been accurately measured using inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) without the need for analyte separation chemistry. The natural range of uranium concentrations in the Colonie soils has been estimated as 0.7 -2.1 µg g -1 , with a geometric mean of 1 µg g -1 ; the contaminated soil samples comprise uranium up to 500 ± 40 µg g -1. A plot of 236 U/ 238 U against 235 U/ 238 U isotopes ratios describes a mixing line between natural uranium and depleted uranium (DU) in bulk soil samples; scatter from this line can be accounted for by heterogeneity in the DU particulate. The end-member of DU compositions aggregated in these bulk samples comprises (2.05 ± 0.06) x10 -3 235 U/ 238 U, (3.2 ± 0.1) x10 -5 236 U/ 238 U, and (7.1 ± 0.3) x10 -6 234 U/ 238 U. The analytical method is sensitive to as little as 50 ng g -1 DU mixed with the natural uranium occurring in these soils. The contamination footprint has been mapped northward from site, and at least one third of the uranium in a soil sample from the surface 5 cm, collected 5.1 km NNW of the site, is DU. The distribution of contamination within the surface soil horizon follows a trend of exponential decrease with depth, which can be approximated by a simple diffusion model. Bioturbation by earthworms can account for dispersal of contaminant from the soil surface, in the form of primary uranium oxide particulates and uranyl species that are sorbed to organic matter. Considering this distribution, the total mass of uranium contamination emitted from the factory is estimated to be c. 4.8 tonnes.

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Section: Site Historymentioning

confidence: 99%