1 - paducah environmental information center

Paducah Site
The WAG 8 SE consisted of five sites
within the PGDP that were considered a potential
source for PCBs. Four of the five sites are
electrical switchyards, while the fifth site is an
abandoned UP 6 conversion facility. The five
sites were SWMU 82, the C-531 Electrical
Switchyard; SWMU 83, the C-533 Electrical
Switchyard; SWMU 84, the C-535 Electrical
Switchyard; SWMU 85, the C-537 Electrical
Switchyard; and C-340 Reduction and Metals
Facility. Table 3.2 lists the total number of
samples collected at each WAG 8 SWMU and
building by media.
Soil and water samples were collected and
analyzed for VPCs, SVOAs, PCBs, metals, and
radionuclides. ..An on-site screening of alpha,
beta, and gaIDma activities was used to identify
the samples that might require radioisotopic
analysis in a fixed-base laboratory. The
analyzed radioisotopes were .241 Am, 237Np,
239Pu, and 239/240Pu.
Several SVOAs, radionuclides, PCBs, and
dioxin/furans were detected in the. surface soil
samples collected from the drainage ditch at
SWMU 82. Detections of PCBs, at a maximum
concentration of 1,183 mg/kg, and dioxin!
furans, at a maximum concentration of 25,200
picograms/gram (pg/g), represent residual
contaminants from historical leaks and spills at
the site. Low levels of SVOAs are known to be
ubiquitous to PGDP, and radionuclides are not
process-related to the electrical switchyards. No
COCs were detected in the subsurface soil at
SWMU 82.
Surface soil samples collected in the
drainage ditches at SWMU 83 contained low
concentrations of several SVOAs (maximum
concentration only slightly above the method
detection limit). Several metals (aluminum,
beryllium, nickel, vanadium, iron, and
magnesium) were detected in the subsurface at
concentrations that only slightly exceeded
background levels.
Several SVOAs, l37Cs, PCBs, and dioxin!
forans were detected in the surface soil samples
collected from the drainage ditch at SWMU 84.
Detections of PCBs, at a maximum concentration
of 380 mg/kg, and dixoinlfurans, at a maximum
concentration of 6790 pg/g, represent residual
contaminants from historical leaks and spills at
the site. No site-derived contaminants were
detected in the subsurface soil at SWMU 84.
Several SVOAs, PCBs, and dioxin!furans
were detected in the surface soil samples
collected from the drainage ditch at SWMU 85.
Detections of PCBs, at a maximum concentration
of 71 mg/kg, and dioxin!furans, ata maximum
concentration of 9,180 pg/g, represent residual
contaminants from historical leaks and spills at
the site. No site-derived contaminants were
detected in the subsurface soil at SWMU 85.
At SWMU 82; 83, 84, and 85, only a small
quantity of 99Tc (23.4 pCi/L, 17.4 pCi/L, 17.9
pCiIL, 16.2 pCi/L, respectively) was detected.
99Tc is not a process-related contaminant at the
electrical switchyard; therefore, site-derived
contaminants are not being transported offsite
via the storm water migration pathway. The lack
of site-derived contaminants in the subsurface at
each of the four SWMUs indicates the leaching
of contaminants from the soil to groundwater is
not a significant contaminant migration pathway.
Contamination in the C-340 Building
consists of radiological and chemical
contaminants remaining from the uranium metal
production process previously performed in the
building. Documentation pertaining to releases
is not available, but it is likely that some of the
process feedstock, product material, byproducts,
uranium metal scraps, sludges, and
ancillary materials could have been carried
outside the building during process spills
through the building ventilation and drainage
systems. Surface soils at the C-340 Building
contain elevated levels of SVOAs, PCBs,
dioxins/furans, metals, and radionuclides over
most of the site. Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (P AHs) are present at
concentrations in excess of 100,000 mg/kg.
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Environmental Program Information