SREL Reprint #1824

Health risks to hypothetical residents of a radioactively contaminated lake bed

F. Ward Whicker1, Thomas Hinton2, Daniel J. Niquette2, and Jeff Seel2

1Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523
2Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802

Abstract: This paper presents site-specific data and dose/risk calculations for hypothetical residents of the PAR Pond lake bed, a portion of which has been exposed following a partial drawdown of the reservoir. PAR Pond is contaminated 137Cs, 90Sr, transuranics, and 3H from R reactor at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site. The risk assessment was motivated by the declaration of the exposed sediments as an operable unit under CERCLA. This work has demonstrated measurable external gamma ray exposures above the exposed lake bed from 137Cs, as well as high mobility of this radionuclide in the aquatic and terrestrial food chains associated with the reservoir. "Reasonable maximum exposure" and "reasonable average exposure" scenarios for an adult resident farmer both yield predicted radiation induced lifetime fatal cancer risks in excess of the EPA guideline of 10-4. This result, if confirmed, may affect the future disposition of PAR Pond.

SREL Reprint #1824

Whicker, F.W., T.G. Hinton, D.J. Niquette, and J. Seel. 1993. Health risks to hypothetical residents of a radioactively contaminated lake bed. pp. 619-624 In: ER'93 - Environmental Remediation Conference, Department of Energy, Augusta, GA. 

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).