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REPORT OF SOIL SURVEY OF A FORMERRADIOACTIVE MATERIAL BURIAL SITE ON RCA-DAVID A. SARNOFF RESEARCH CENTER PROPERTY

PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY__________________________________

By: Nuclear Diagnostic Laboratories, Inc.Peekskill, New York

January 22, 1979

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8008060 yjg.

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INTRODUCTION

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A marked radioactive material burial site on RCA propertywas excavated with obviously radioactive material removed and *

placed in waste containers by RCA personnel. On September 18,1978 an initial survey was conducted of the excavated area.After removal of contaminated soil, a second soil survey wasconducted on November 13, 1978. The results of this surveyare tabulated in Tables I S II. A total of 4.02ft3 of contaminatedmaterial and soil was removed from the site.

DISCUSSION:

The burial site, which is estimated as dating back to thelate forties or early fifties, is located on Research Centerproperty in a semi-wooded area east of the facility. There areno records available to indicate the nature of the radioactivematerial buried. However analysis of one of the soil samplescollected on September 18th, using a GeLi solid state detector.,produced a gamma spectrum which when compared to that producedby a radium standard showed the contaminant to be Radium-226(Attachment #1). Windowless flow counting of the soil samplesshowed an alpha to beta ratio similar to what one would expectto find with radium contamination. The presence of other radio-active material cannot be completely ruled out, however. Thealpha and beta activity detected in the samples due co radiummay have masked other alpha or beta emitters, but the gamma spectrumshowed no unexplained lines thereby ruling out the presence ofother gamma emitters.

The initial survey of September 18th showed that additionalsoil removal was required. After that was accomplished a com-prehensive survey of the excavated area was conducted onNovember 13th (see diagram-Attachment #2). The area, approximately40 x 45 feet, is enclosed by a snow fence. The entire enclosedarea was surveyed at approximately two incges from the surfacewith an end-window GM survey meter (2mg/cm window). Soil sampleswere taken on a grid pattern inside the enclosed area with additionalsamples taken where an elevated count rate was noted via surveymeter. Only one such area was noted (sample point #10).. In additionthe area outside the fence was surveyed in a similar fashion tenfeet in each direction, with additional soil samples taken.

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COLLECTION AND METHOD-0F ANALYSES:

Soil samples were collected by removal of approximately1.5 cm of soil over a 100 cm2 area at each sample point.

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In the laboratory two .5gm quantities were removed fromeach sample after thorough mixing. The counting samples werethen dried, pulverized, spread evenly in 14" planchettes and .

counted with a Nuclear Chicago windowless gas flow countingsystem using P-10 gas-in the alpha and the alpha plus beta countingregions.

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RESULTS:

The results of the analysis of the fourteen soil samplesand one background sample from the Peekskill, New York area shownin Table I are the sums of the results of the two .5gm countingsamples. One exception is soil sample #6. When the originaltwo counting samples from #6 showed elevated results relative tothe rest of the samples, six additional .5gm counting sampleswere removed from the soil sample container after mixing. TheTable I activity shown for sample #6 is two times the averageof the eight .5gm counting samples. Table II shows the raw datafor each of those samples.

The maximum alpha activity found was 4.4 x 10-6pCi/gm ofsoil at sample point #6. The rest were less than 1 x 10-6pCi/gmof soil; with eight samples showing no detectable activity.The Peekskill background soil showed no detectable alpha activity.

The maximum beta activity found was 4.9 x 10-5pCi/gm of soilat sample points #6 and #10. This compares to 3.1 x 10-SpCi/gmfor the Peekskill background soil sample. With the exception ofsample #3 all the other soil samples showed results less thanthe Peekskill sample whose activity must be assumed to be primarily

, due to fallout.TABLE I

Sample # Activity-microcuries/gmAlpha Beta

1 2.5 x 10-7 1.6 x 10-52 N.D.* 2.0 x 10-53 2.5 x 10-7 3.3 x 10-54 N.D. 2.4 x 10-55 2.5 x 10-7 1.7 x 10-56 4.,4 x 10-6 4.9 x 10-5

*N.D.: No detectable activity

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TABLE I(continued)

SAMPLE # Activity-microcuries/gmAlpha Beta

a

7 N.D. 1.3 x 10-58 N.D. 1.4 x 10-59 N.D. 1.7 x 10-5 ,

10 N.D. 4.4 x 10-511 N.D. 1.7 x 10-512 N.D. 1.5 x 10-513 5.3 x 10-7 2.4 x 10-514 8.8 x 10-8 1.9 x 10-515(Peekskill soil) N.D. 3.1 x 10-5

,TABLE II

Alpha AlphaSAMPLE # Net CPM microcuries/.5gm microcuries/gm

6A 1.4 1.5 x 10-6 ,

6B 1.8 2.0 x 10-66C 3.4 3.7 x 10-66D 2.0 2.2 x 10-66E 1.9 2.1 x 10-6SF 1.8 2.0 x 10-66G 1.4 1.5 x 10-66H 2.2 2.5 x 10-6

Ave: 2.2 x 10-6 x 2: 4.4 x 10-6

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CONCLUSIONS:

It can be concluded from the above data that the formerburial site represents no immediate hazard to RCA employees orthe general public as it currently exists. However, there doesappear to be a slight amount of residual activity in the soil;in particular at sample point #6. Of prime importance in deter-mining the acceptability of the site for unrestricted use with .

such residual activity, is arriving at a reasonable estimate ofthe average concentration of Radium-226 in the soil. A conserva-tive assumption would be that all alphas detected in the samples,,as shown in Table I, due to Radium-226 and none from its daughterproducts. Based on.that assumption the average Radium-226 concenatration in the soil is 4.1 x 10-7pCi/ gram. However, a morerealistic approach would be to assume that Radium-226 is insecular equilibrium with its daughter products. In that situationapproximately one alpha in five detected would be due to Radium-226.Applying that factor to the values in Table I, the resultant averageRadium-226 concentration in the soil is 8.3 x 10-8pCi/ gram.

If the assumption is made that the residual activity is duesolely to Radium-226 and its daughters, the regulations of theState of New Jersey would apply as to whether or not the site isacceptable for ultimate unrestricted use. The applicable regula-tions can be found in Title 7, Chapter 28, Sections 4.20, 9.3 and11.4 of the New Jersey Administrative Code. Section 4.20 whilelisting exempt concentrations of certain radionuclides does notlist Radium-226 nor any other alpha emitter. Therefore the NewJersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division ofEnvironmental Quality, Bureau of Radiation Protection, should becontacted for a ruling regarding the acceptability of the site forunrestricted use. Such notification is required pursuant toSection ll.4(b). Section 9.3 sets forth a standard for the de-contamination of premises. If the former burial site were to beconsidered a premise, it would certainly meet the exposure limitsspecified in Section 9.3. The maximum radiation level detectedwas at sample point #10. The result was approximately 20-30net cpm-By (open window) and backgrornd-y (closed window).

As to the question of the possible existence of additionalburied waste at the site or surrounding area, it can be safelyconcluded that there is no additional buried material in theexcavated area and that there are no additional burial sites onthe premises for the following reasons:

1. Continual monitoring during the original excavatingprocess revealed no additional material.

2. The area excavated was much larger than the volumeof material buried, with no additional materialuncovered. *

3 Extensive surface monitoring of the surrounding arearevealed no radiation levels above normal background.

4. The fact that the burial. site was well marked with a9

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permanent cement marker indicater an awarenesson the part of the people involved of the need for ,

proper precautions. Thus the lack of additionalmarkers indicates that there are no other burialsites on RCA premises.

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s*p.

By: Alan H. JonesGeneral Manager

For: NUCLEAR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES, INC.Peekskill, New York

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liEALTH PHYSICS SURVEY page ofi D 1 ATTACHME!1T #2

- Diagram of Surveyed Area

Customer: pCa_ pavia A_sarnnrfType of Survey: Radiation X Wipe AirResearch conton Other X Soil-

Location: Princeton. tiew Jersepate of Survey : 11/13 / 78 By : A. Jones

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Survey Meter (s) used: Searle 2650 Sample Analysis: NDL Run#:78-51,52,53Outside Lab Analysis: Columbia Universit

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O = wipe locations )( = air sample locations a = other (soil)Radiation levels in mR/hr.

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