ASTM E1278-88(1996)e1
(Guide)Standard Guide for Radioactive Pathway Methodology for Release of Sites Following Decommissioning (Withdrawn 2005)
Standard Guide for Radioactive Pathway Methodology for Release of Sites Following Decommissioning (Withdrawn 2005)
SCOPE
1.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide guidance in determining site-specific conversion factors for translating between dose limits and residual radioactive contamination levels on equipment, structures, and land areas. This guide does not endorse specific levels of allowable residual radioactive contamination, nor does it provide a methodology for population dose calculations.
1.2 Standards prescribing dose limits for decommissioned nuclear facilities or sites and/or private properties contaminated with radioactive materials are necessary to identify decommissioning methods, guide cleanup (remedial action) efforts, determine cleanup costs, identify the amount of radioactive waste to be disposed, and protect the public. Such standards, however, are not yet available for all types of nuclear facilities, sites, or properties. Regulatory Guide 1.86 of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (1), as well as specific promulgations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), provide some specific guidance.
1.3 This guide is not intended to establish these federal policies. They will be promulgated by the EPA and other federal agencies. Rather, it is to serve as a guide to acceptable methodology for translating the yet to be determined dose limits into allowable levels of residual radioactive materials that can be left at a site following decommissioning.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
WITHDRAWN RATIONALE
The purpose of this guide is to provide guidance in determining site-specific conversion factors for translating between dose limits and residual radioactive contamination levels on equipment, structures, and land areas. This guide does not endorse specific levels of allowable residual radioactive contamination, nor does it provide a methodology for population dose calculations.
Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee E10 on Nuclear Technology, this guide was withdrawn in May 2005.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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e1
Designation: E 1278 – 88 (Reapproved 1996)
Standard Guide for
Radioactive Pathway Methodology for Release of Sites
Following Decommissioning
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1278; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
e NOTE—Keywords were added editorially in January 1996.
1. Scope E 1034 Specification for Nuclear Facility Transient Worker
Records
1.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide guidance in
E 1167 Guide for a Radiation Protection Program for De-
determining site-specific conversion factors for translating
commissioning Operations
between dose limits and residual radioactive contamination
2.2 ANSI Standard:
levels on equipment, structures, and land areas. This guide
ANSI-ASME-NQA-1 American National Standards Insti-
does not endorse specific levels of allowable residual radioac-
tuteQualityAssuranceProgramRequirementsforNuclear
tive contamination, nor does it provide a methodology for
Facilities
population dose calculations.
1.2 Standards prescribing dose limits for decommissioned
3. Terminology
nuclear facilities or sites and/or private properties contami-
3.1 Definitions:
nated with radioactive materials are necessary to identify
3.1.1 criteria, n—goals or objectives, or both, to be
decommissioning methods, guide cleanup (remedial action)
achieved against which the degree of accomplishment can be
efforts, determine cleanup costs, identify the amount of radio-
measured.
active waste to be disposed, and protect the public. Such
3.1.2 decommission, vt—to remove a nuclear facility safely
standards, however, are not yet available for all types of
from service and reduce residual radioactivity to levels that
nuclear facilities, sites, or properties. Regulatory Guide 1.86 of
2 permit release of the property or facility for unrestricted use
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (1), as well
and termination of any applicable license(s).
as specific promulgations of the Environmental Protection
3.1.3 decontamination, n—those activities employed to re-
Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), provide
ducethelevelsofradioactivecontaminationinoronstructures,
some specific guidance.
equipment, materials, and property.
1.3 This guide is not intended to establish these federal
3.1.4 dose equivalent, n—the product of the absorbed dose,
policies. They will be promulgated by the EPA and other
the quality factor (Q), and any other modifying factors (N).
federal agencies. Rather, it is to serve as a guide to acceptable
3.1.5 effective dose equivalent, n—the sum of the weighted
methodology for translating the yet to be determined dose
committed dose equivalents and the dose equivalent received
limits into allowable levels of residual radioactive materials
from external sources. The sum represents the same risk as if
that can be left at a site following decommissioning.
the whole body were irradiated uniformly.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.6 nuclear facility, n—a facility whose operations in-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
volve (or involved) radioactive materials in such form or
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
quantity that a radiological hazard potentially exists (or ex-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
isted) to the employees or the general public. Included are
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
facilities that are (or were) used to produce, process, or store
2. Referenced Documents radioactive materials. Some examples are nuclear reactors
(power, test, or research), fuel fabrication plants, fuel repro-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
cessing plants, uranium/thorium mills, UF-6 production and
enrichment plants, radiochemical laboratories, and radioactive
waste disposal sites.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-10 on Nuclear
Technology and Applicationsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
E10.03on Radiological Protection for Decontamination and Decommissioning of
Nuclear Facilities and Components.
Current edition approved November 25, 1988. Published February 1989. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 12.02.
2 4
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references appended to Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
this guide. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 1278
3.1.7 remedial action, n—decontamination, waste removal, 5.2.3.1 Radioactive contamination transferred from con-
and site restoration conducted as part of a site or property taminated tools, equipment, and the like into the body by
decommissioning effort. means of the mouth and hands;
3.1.8 surface contamination, n—the results of the deposi- 5.2.3.2 Plant foods grown in contaminated soil;
tion and attachment of foreign materials (here most commonly 5.2.3.3 Meat or milk from livestock fed with contaminated
thought of as radioactive materials) to exposed surfaces. fodder and water; or
5.2.3.4 Fish from a nearby pond or stream; and
4. Significance and Use
5.2.3.5 Water from wells downgradient of the decommis-
4.1 Applying the considerations in this guide will provide
sioned site.
assurancethattheallowableresidualradioactivecontamination
NOTE 1—Itisassumedthatthesepathways,appliedtoafamilyresiding
levels developed for a particular site will be adequate to
on-site, will lead to allowable residual contamination levels that are more
achieve release of the site, property, or facility for unrestricted
limiting than those that would be derived for other scenarios. One must
use by the general public.
note that the estimation of the collective (population) dose is outside the
4.2 By following this guide, the user will address the scope of this guide. However, there may be situations (for example, the
recycle of large quantities of activated materials, or the use of a major
significant subject areas necessary to translate between field
contaminated aquifer by a downstream community, or the agricultural use
radiological measurements and the potential dose that may be
of a large low-level contaminated site for truck gardening) for which the
received by individuals. This will provide a mechanism to
annualcollectivedosemightbemorelimiting,orcertainlynotinthespirit
allowthedeterminationofacceptablecontaminationlevelsthat
of ALARA.
may be left at a site following decommissioning.
5.3 Pathway Analysis Methodology—The derivation of al-
5. Pathway Analysis
lowable residual contamination from dose limits is based on
the physical and environmental relation between the concen-
5.1 Pathway Analysis Objectives—The objectives of this
tration (or contamination level) of a radionuclide in a medium
pathway analysis guide are to:
available to people and the consequent radiation dose to an
5.1.1 Provide assurance that appropriate pathways and their
individual exposed to that source.Apathway analysis must be
relevantfactorshavebeenconsideredindeterminingallowable
carried out to derive this relation. This section presents the
residualcontaminationlevelsatorforthesiteorpropertybeing
generic basis and methods for calculating the pathway doses.
decommissioned.
5.1.2 Provide site-specific release criteria for materials, (Some examples of models and methods available are Refs 17,
18, 20, and 22.)
equipment, land, and facilities on the site to be decommis-
sioned. 5.3.1 Exposure scenarios are the patterns of human activity
that can result in radiation dose attributable to the residual
5.1.3 Identify appropriate exposure scenarios, pathway
transfer and dose conversion factors, and the principal radio- radioactivity at a decommissioned site. For the purposes of this
guide, permanent residents are considered to represent the
nuclides to be considered in performing the pathway calcula-
tions. critical group, that is, the group for whom exposure scenarios
need to be established (estimated) and subsequent dose calcu-
5.1.4 Estimatetheannualeffectivedoseequivalenttooneor
more members of a critical population group (for example, a lations performed.
5.3.2 The following “residential” scenario should be con-
familythatestablishesresidenceonthesiteafterasitehasbeen
released for unrestricted use). sidered as a minimum when implementing this guide. In the
residential scenario, a family is assumed to move onto the
5.1.5 Compare the estimated annual effective dose equiva-
lent with appropriate limits provided in Environmental Protec- decommissioned site, build a home, and raise crops for family
consumption. Hence, members of the family are exposed by
tion Agency (EPA) regulations or as provided by federal or
state agencies in the interim until such regulations have been direct radiation from radionuclides in the soil or any remaining
structures on the site, by inhalation of resuspended dust (if the
promulgated by the EPA.
5.1.6 Ensure that all significant pathways for the critical contaminated area is exposed at the surface) or inhalation of
radon gas, by ingestion of food crops grown in the contami-
population group are taken into account in deriving allowable
nated soil, and by ingestion of water from a well that may be
residual contamination guidelines from the basic dose limit
identified in 5.1.5. contaminated by water percolating through the contaminated
site.
5.2 Specific Pathway Analyses—The following pathways
should be considered when performing site-specific pathway 5.3.3 In developing any site-specific scenario, realistic cred-
analyses as recommended in this guide: ible scenarios should be used based on the region of the
5.2.1 Exposure received from external radioactive sources country and demographic experience for that region. The
in contaminated ground (for example, soil contamination), assignment of appropriate values to the scenario parameters
structural surfaces, or equipment. Such exposures could be to should be based on existing patterns of human activity that can
be expected to persist for an indefinite period of time. For most
the entire body or to limited parts such as eyes, hands, feet,
gonads, etc., due to handling of radioactivity contaminated scenario parameters, this criterion should enable a straightfor-
warddeterminationofparametervaluesonthebasisofdatafor
tools, equipment, and the like.
5.2.2 Internalradiationsourcesduetoinhaleddustparticles, current conditions.
radon, or other radioactive gases. 5.3.4 The basis for the choice of key parameter values
5.2.3 Internal irradiation from ingestion of: should be documented, especially for the fraction of the family
E 1278
TABLE 1 Pathway Identification
diet that will consist of contaminated foodstuffs (that is, the
fraction of the on-site crops grown in contaminated soil); I. External radiation
A. Ground
whether or not a basement is constructed (thereby redistribut-
Volume source
ing “buried” soil which may have been contaminated) on the
Surface source
property; whether the “farm”’ is large enough to support a B. Remaining structures/equipment
Volume source
family orchard (0.1 ha), a family pig (1 ha), or a family cow (2
Line source
ha); whether there is an on-site source of drinking water (for
Point source
Plane source
example, onsite shallow well capable of supplying a family of
Equipment/hand contamination
four with domestic water or some fraction thereof); and
C. Air
whether there is the possibility of a pond being provided on the
Dust (resuspended radioactive materials)
site to raise fish for family consumption. Radon and radon decay products
Other gaseous airborne radionuclides
5.3.5 Potential exposure pathways that can contribute sig-
D. Water (for example, pond for swimming, boating)
nificantly to the exposure of an on-site resident can be different
II. Internal radiation
A. Inhalation
for different sites, depending on the dimensions of the con-
Dust
taminated zone, the amount of contaminated structures or
Radon and radon decay products
equipment left on the site, and the environmental and scenario
Other gaseous airborne radionuclides
B. Ingestion/Food
parameters that are applicable for the site. A diagram of the
Plant food (vegetables, grains, fruits)
soil-to-man pathways to be considered for determination of
Meat (beef, pork, poultry)
allowable residual contamination levels is shown in Fig. 1.
Milk
Aquatic foods (primarily fish)
Potential contributing pathways that should be considered for
C. Ingestion/Water
site-specific analysis are provided in the accompanying Table
Groundwater (well)
1. This list should be regarded as a set of pathway categories
Surface water
Soil/hand contamination
rather than individual pathways because many of the items
shownmaycorrespondtomorethanonepathway.Descriptions
of the potentially relevant pathways that should be considered
of allowable residual soil concentrations. The procedures for
in determining the allowable residual contamination levels are
implementing these steps are summarized below.
provided in subsequent sections of this guide.
6.1.1 Pathway screening consists of using historical site
5.4 Pathway Factors—The pathway analyses should be
data to assess which pathways are likely to contribute signifi-
structured and documented in such a way that a reviewer or
cantly to the dose to a member of the critical population group.
auditorcandissecttheproblemintoconstituentparts.Theparts
Thepotentialpathways,summarizedinTable1,shouldbeused
should enable independent analysis, comparison, and review.
in preparing this portion of the residual contamination esti-
An example of one such approach is included asAppendix X1.
mates. Conditions at each specific site will differ, and it should
be possible at this stage to identify which pathways can be
6. Allowable Residual Contamination Levels in Soil
eliminated without carrying through a more detailed pathway
6.1 This section lists some possible considerations for
analysis. In general, the direct external gamma pathway must
determining site-specific allowable residual contamination lev-
always be included along with the dust inhalation pathway
els. This task involves pathway screening, data acquisition,
(except for cases in which only buried contamination is
derivation of dose to source ratios (D/S), and finally derivation
present). Food pathways must also be included, even for sites
in urban industrial or commercial areas, unless the land is
clearly unsuitable for agricultural use (for
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