Radiological effects of SRS operations, 1988

Abstract

A discussion of the offsite effective dose equivalents reported for 1988 SRS releases serves as the basis for this report. Detailed analyses of atmospheric and liquid release trends and their consequences in terms of relative importance among facilities, radionuclides, and exposure pathways have also been included. Releases of radioactivity to the atmosphere were generally lower in 1988 than in 1987. No major unplanned tritium releases were recorded during the year. However, there were three inadvertent releases of Pu-238 from F Area in January, March and October of 160, 32 and 83 uCi, respectively. Radioactive releases to onsite streams from direct discharges and seepage basin migration decreased in 1988. However, as a result of a decrease in the flow rate of the Savannah River in 1988, higher offsite doses were reported. The maximum individual dose, conversely, was down from 1987. This decrease reflected the fact that the maximum individual dose is most significantly affected by the cesium concentration in fish. In terms of largest contributors to dose, the releases were dominated by tritium, Cs-137 and to a much lesser extent Sr-90. With respect to the offsite population, doses from atmospheric releases are generally higher than those from liquid releases, and this trend continued in 1988. Analyses of 1988 data and the data for the preceding decade suggest that radioactive releases from the SRS during this period have not significantly impacted the offsite population.