Oak Ridge Associated Universities 2006 Annual Report

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Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Programs 2006 Accomplishments: “While we remain focused on building public trust in environmental cleanup through independent verification, we are also helping our customers keep remediation costs in check by accurately defining the scope of site contamination prior to cleanup through radiological characterization surveys. In addition, through our comprehensive radiation sciences training and our expertise in radiological programs assessments and evaluations, we are ensuring that our customers’ projects benefit from the highest standards for health physics.” Eric Abelquist, director of Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Programs Key Customers: DOE and other federal agencies spend billions of dollars cleaning up radioactively contaminated sites each year and need assurances that release criteria have been met. The ultimate safety of these buildings and lands are of paramount concern for the public and future stakeholders of these properties as well. ORAU is the nation’s leading provider of independent verification surveys of environmental cleanup, greatly enhancing public trust and instilling confidence in the decontamination and decommissioning of contaminated sites. • Analyzed more than 700 water samples plus soil, vegetation, and fish samples from 13 U.S. nuclear power reactors thought to have inadvertently released tritium into the surrounding groundwater • Performed independent verification at four major DOE decontamination and decommissioning projects at Battelle, Fernald, Ashtabula, and Mound sites, helping DOE accomplish their accelerated cleanup goals in Ohio by the end of 2006 • Focused on providing comprehensive radiological characterization surveys at Curtis Bay and Hammond Depots in Maryland, using the most advanced global positioning satellite technology Key Facts: • Provide health physics services in a broad and diverse array of areas, such as audits of radiological facilities, dose modeling to support release criteria, and radiation measurements using in situ gamma ray spectrometry • Manage a radiochemistry lab—deemed by the NRC as its dedicated lab for radiological analysis—with 98+ percent accuracy • Teach an average of 25 radiation training courses per year on a national and international scale, training more than 300 professionals • Perform independent verification for DOE and NRC projects, completing more than 500 U.S. sites since 1981 • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) • U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) • U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) -Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC) • State Departments of Radiological Health/ Protection Contact Information: Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Programs (865) 576-3740 health.physics@orau.org ivsurveys@orau.org www.orau.org/busops/ivhp 60
ORISE’s Independent Evaluation of Groundwater Samples from Nuclear Power Plants Helps NRC Build Public Trust When leaking water pipes present a potential hazard, everyone knows a plumber is the right person to fix the problem. But what happens when pipes suspected of inadvertently contaminating nearby groundwater with radioactive tritium are discovered at a number of aging nuclear power plants? That was the issue facing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 2006 when nearly a dozen nuclear power plants found heightened levels of tritium in on-site groundwater supplies. Tritium, a radioactive isotope of the element hydrogen, naturally occurs in the environment in very low concentrations and is a by-product of electricity-producing nuclear reactors and weapons plants. To determine whether dangerous levels of tritium could potentially endanger drinking water supplies, the NRC called upon ORISE’s Radiochemistry Laboratory to exclusively carry out a series of independent radioanalytical evaluations. Since October 2005, ORISE has analyzed more than 700 groundwater samples from 13 nuclear facilities scattered mainly throughout the Midwest. Tritium is most commonly used in biomedical research as a radioactive tracer and is also produced commercially in luminescent devices, such as exit signs in buildings, aircraft dials, gauges, and wristwatches. People come in contact with small amounts of tritium on a daily basis as it is present in the atmosphere and in the food chain. Because this exposure is typically negligible and falls below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) guidelines for safe exposure, it is common for low levels of tritium to make their way to drinking water supplies via atmospheric and groundwater movement. The EPA considers tritium readings of 20,000 picocuries (a unit of radiation) or less per liter safe for human consumption. During evaluation, however, ORISE chemists reported readings as much as 10 times greater than EPA’s limit—enough to gain the attention of the NRC, public interest groups, politicians, local residents, and national media. In 2006, ORISE independently analyzed more than 700 groundwater samples from 13 nuclear power plants suspected of inadvertently releasing tritium. “Our lab analyses indicated tritium readings as high as 200,000 picocuries,” said Dale Condra, ORISE’s Radiochemistry Laboratory manager. “Though these readings were only found in groundwater, it is not surprising that this discovery generated concern that tritium levels found in samples taken from outside the plants could potentially endanger local drinking water supplies.” Despite tritium’s being considered one of the least dangerous radionuclides because it emits very weak radiation, exposure to extreme levels can result in increased health risks, including cancer. In order to maintain public safety and confidence, the NRC and plant officials are using ORISE’s findings to address ways to prevent future unintentional releases. 61
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Published by the Communications, Pr
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ORAU at a Glance As a consortium of
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ORISE at a Glance The Oak Ridge Ins
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Statement from the President In 200
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Science to lead, education to build
Page 12 and 13: University Partnership Initiatives
Page 14 and 15: PROFILE Dr. Yongli Gao Enhancing In
Page 16 and 17: Strengthening Our Partnership with
Page 18 and 19: PROFILE HIGHLIGHT Background: Origi
Page 20 and 21: Expanding Avenues for Partnerships
Page 22 and 23: From Education to Environmental Hea
Page 24 and 25: Science Education Programs “With
Page 26 and 27: HIGHLIGHT Longtime Education Partne
Page 28 and 29: HIGHLIGHT PROFILE Former ORISE Part
Page 30 and 31: HIGHLIGHT PROFILE Future Teacher Ta
Page 32 and 33: PROFILE ORISE Intern Teamed with Ar
Page 34 and 35: Worker Health Programs “The heart
Page 36 and 37: ORAU Team Assists with Dose Reconst
Page 38 and 39: HIGHLIGHTS ORISE is collaborating w
Page 40 and 41: Public Health Programs “Catastrop
Page 42 and 43: HIGHLIGHT of approximately 8,000 ar
Page 44 and 45: ORISE Supports CDC Radiological Ter
Page 46 and 47: HIGHLIGHTS Diabetes and cardiovascu
Page 48 and 49: “In 2006, we have seen our operat
Page 50 and 51: HIGHLIGHT ORISE Supports Department
Page 52 and 53: HIGHLIGHTS To protect the nation’
Page 54 and 55: PROFILE DHS Intern Uses the Iris fo
Page 56 and 57: Radiation Emergency Medicine Progra
Page 58 and 59: HIGHLIGHT National Radiation Emerge
Page 60 and 61: PROFILE Medical Doctor Becomes Firs
Page 64 and 65: HIGHLIGHT Nationwide Network for Tr
Page 66 and 67: HIGHLIGHTS In 2006, ORISE completed
Page 68 and 69: Scientific and Technical Peer Revie
Page 70 and 71: ORISE Coordinates Peer Reviews for
Page 72 and 73: Investing in Our Community, Our Reg
Page 74 and 75: ORAU Board of Directors Mr. C. Mich
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Oak Ridge Associated Universities 2006 Annual Report

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