Variability in dose estimates associated with the food-chain transport and ingestion of selected radionuclides

Remedial investigation/feasibility study report for Lower Watts Bar Reservoir Operable Unit

“…Several publications were reviewed (Hoffman and Baes 1979;Hoffman et al 1982;ICRP 1975;NCRP 1984NCRP , 1989Rupp 1979;USEPA 1991), and the subjective probability distributions derived for each of the human intake parameters are consistent with the values reported in the publications. Because each value is equally likely to be the true but unknown rate of intake, a uniform distribution was used to represent the uncertainty.…”

“…Several studies have discussed the uncertainties with estimates of the quantity of pasture ingested by dairy and beef cows (Hoffman and Baes 1979, Hoffman et al 1982, Shor and Fields 1980. A uniform distribution was used to represent the uncertainty in the ingestion rate of dairy cows and beef cows.…”

“…A uniform distribution was used to represent the uncertainty in the ingestion rate of dairy cows and beef cows. respectively (IAEA 19821, and adding and subtracting two times the standard deviation, 2.6 kg/d (dairy) and 2.0 kg/d (beef) (Hoffman et al 1982). The uncertainty ranges are summarized in Table D.7.…”

“…The loss rate from radiological decay is determined by dividing the natural log of 2 by the half-life of the radionuclide (137Cs: 0.693/30 yrs = 2.3E-02 y r l ) . The uncertainty estimates for leff were determined by adding the radiological decay rate to the minimum, mean, and maximum value reported for the loss rate from harvesting and leaching in Hoffman et al (1982). These values are summarized in Table D.7.…”

“…The primary reference for the uncertainties in the plant-to-soil transfer factors and the animal product transfer factors is a document that was prepared for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Hoffman et al 1982). …”