In Vivo Radiobioassay and Research Facility

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Bioassay monitoring for intakes of radioactive material is an essential part of the internal dosimetry program for radiation workers at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site. This monitoring program includes direct measurements of radionuclides in the body by detecting photons that exit the body and analyses of radionuclides in excreta samples. The specialized equipment and instrumentation required to make the direct measurements of these materials in the body are located at the In Vivo Radiobioassay and Research Facility (IVRRF). The IVRRF was originally built in 1960 and was designed expressly for the in vivo measurement of radioactive material in Hanford workers. Most routine in vivo measurements are performed annually and special measurements are performed as needed. The primary source terms at the Hanford Site include fission and activation products (primarily 137Cs and 90Sr), uranium, uranium progeny, and transuranic radionuclides. The facility currently houses five shielded counting systems, men’s and women’s change rooms and an instrument maintenance and repair shop. Four systems include high purity germanium detectors and one system utilizes large sodium iodide detectors. These systems are used to perform an average of 7,000 measurements annually. This includes approximately 5000 whole body measurements analyzed for fission and activation products more » and 2000 lung measurements analyzed for americium, uranium, and plutonium. Various other types of measurements are performed periodically to estimate activity in wounds, the thyroid, the liver, and the skeleton. The staff maintains the capability to detect and quantify activity in essentially any tissue or organ. The in vivo monitoring program that utilizes the facility is accredited by the Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program for direct radiobioassay. « less