United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor
Air(6603J)
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (5101)
9355.0-50FS
EPA/540/F-94-022
PB 94-963306
January 1996
Fact Sheet: Computer Models
Used to Support Cleanup
Decision Making at Hazardous
and Radioactive Waste Sites
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
BACKGROUND
Mathematical models that characterize the source,
transport, fate, and effects of hazardous and radio-
active materials are used to help determine cleanup
priorities and select remedial options at sites con-
taminated with radioactive materials.
A joint Interagency Environmental Pathway Mod-
eling Working Group has been established by the
EPA Offices of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA)
and Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER),
the DOE Office of Environmental Restoration and
Waste Management (EM), and the Nuclear Regula-
tory Commission (NRG) Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards (NMSS). The purpose of the
Working Group is to promote the appropriate and
consistent use of mathematical environmental mod-
els in the remediation and restoration of sites con-
taminated by radioactive substances.
The Working Group has published reports intended
to be used by technical staff responsible for identify-
ing and implementing flow and transport models to
support cleanup decisions at hazardous and radio-
active waste sites. This fact sheet is one of a series of
fact sheets that summarize the Working Group's
reports.
REPORT
Purpose
The EPA, DOE, and NRC joint program spon-
sored a mail survey in 1990 and 1991 to identify
radiologic and nonradiologic environmental
transfer or pathway computer models that have
been used or are being used to support cleanup of
hazardous and radioactive waste sites. The intent
of the survey was to gather basic administrative
and technical information on the extent and type
of modeling efforts being conducted by EPA,
DOE, and NRC at hazardous and radioactive
waste sites, and to identify a point of contact for
further followup.
Contents of Report
The report includes an introduction, description of
the survey and model classification scheme, survey
results, conclusions, and references. The appendix
contains descriptions and references for the models
reported in the survey.
The raw data from the questionnaire are compiled
in tables. Table 1 lists the names of the respondents,
their organizations, addresses, phone numbers, and
models used. Table 2 provides an alphabetical list of
models, model types, and references. Table 3 in-
cludes the model, site type, contaminant, endpoint,
level-of-effort, validation (yes/no), and publication
information. Table 4 summarizes the organizations
that sponsored development of the reported mod-
els. Table 5 provides an index of existing environ-
mental pathway models.
Method
Questionnaires were widely distributed to approxi-
mately 550 persons within the three sponsoring
agencies, national laboratories, universities, and
consulting engineering firms.
The report presents a database of user model /infor-
mation pertaining to each model, including:
• Site type
• Sponsoring agency
• Media/category
• Level of effort
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• Validation/calibration
• End points
• Publications
Findings
Eighty-seven persons responded to the survey, rep-
resenting a response rate of 16 percent. Individuals
responded from 38 different companies, facilities,
or agencies. The respondents were responsible
primarily for DOE sites. More than 75 percent of
the reported site types were DOE-related.
Respondents reported using 127 different computer
models. Most were developed by or for the EPA,
DOE, or NRC, but a substantial number (24 percent)
were sponsored by other groups such as private
corporations, universities, and other government
agencies. The overwhelming majority of models are
being used for the more general purpose of finding
environmental concentrations of contaminants and
radon dose commitments. Some other uses include
risk assessment, water levels, flow rates, riprap
sizing, and radon emanation.
The reported models were classified by the
environmental media they simulate and by their
major purpose (see table on page 3). Models related
to multi-media environmental pathways constituted
the largest category of models in use by respondents
with 41 models reported. Multi-media models
integrate several media (e.g., air, ground water,
food chain, soil) into one simulation. Respondents
reported using 34 different ground-water transport
models, 20 air models (which sometimes included
related soil deposition and agricultural uptake
parameters), and 19 engineering models, which
included performance assessment, accident, and
radiation dose models. Seven surface water transport
and five geochemical models also were reported.
The geochemical models were often used to predict
the relative abundance or concentration of various
contaminant species, to determine whether a
dissolved pollutant will precipitate during transport
in surface or ground water, or to determine whether
a solid pollutant might dissolve under certain
aqueous conditions.
Based on a compilation of known environmental
pathway models (extrapolated from the published
literature and reviews) the models reported in the
survey represent approximately 25 percent of known
models used in environmental pathway analyses.
Whether the models not identified in the survey
are actually being used to support cleanup deci-
sions could not be answered due to the relatively
small number of respondents. The report recog-
nizes the dynamic nature of model development
and application.
Approximately 60 percent of the identified models
in the survey were used at only one site. Only a few
models appeared to be used across a large number
of sites.
Major Types of Environmental Computer Models Reported in Use
Multt- Ground-
media Water
Transport
Air Engineering Surface Geo- Utility
Water chemical
Traneport
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Models in Use Identified in Survey
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CONTACTS
If you have any questions or want a copy of this or
other reports, contact:
Beverly Irla, Project Manager
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6603J)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 233-93%
Paul Beam
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Environmental Restoration
EM-451/CLOVBLDG
19901 Germantown Road
Germantown, MD 20874-1290
(301)903-8133
Sam Nalluswami
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
(T-7F27)
Washington, DC 20555
(301)415-6694
Superfund Hotline
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
401 M Street, SW (5203G)
Washington, DC 20460
(800) 424-9346
REPORTS
Computer Models Used to Support Cleanup Decision-
Making at Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Sites, EPA
402-R-93-005, March 1993. Also available from the
National Technical Information Center (NTIS), (703)
487-4650, PB93-183333/XAB.
Environmental Characteristics of EPA, NRC, and DOE
Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances, EPA
402-R-93-011, March 1993. NTIS,PB93-185551/XAB.
Environmental Pathway Models — Ground-Water
Modelling in Support of Remedial Decision-Making at
Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Material, EPA 402-
R-93-009, March 1993. NTIS, PB93-196657/XAB.
Technical Guide to Ground-Water Model Selection at
Sites Contaminated with Radioactive Substances, EPA
402-R-94-012, September 1994. NTIS, PB94-205804/
XAB.
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