U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE SOUTHWESTERN RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH LABORATORY ELECTRONICS SECTION FEB 101965 SWRHL-15r FINAL REPORT OF OFF-SITE SURVEILLANCE FOR THE KIWI B4E EXPERIMENT by the South-western Radiological Health Laboratory U. S. Public Health Service Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Las Vegas, Nevada January 25, 1965 This surveillance performed under a Memorandum of Understanding (No. SF 54 373) for the U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION ------- LEGAL NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of Government sponsored work. Neither the United States, nor the Atomic Energy Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission: A. Makes any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information contained in this report, or that the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report may not infringe privately owned rights; or B. Assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of any information, apparatus, method, or pro- cess disclosed in this report. As used in the above, "person acting on behalf of the Commission" includes any employee or contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor, to the extent that such employee or contractor of the Commission, or employee of such contractor prepares, dissemin- ates, or provides access to, any information pursuant to his employ- ment or contract with the Commission, or his employment with such contractor. 8 ------- SWRHL-15r FINAL REPORT OF OFF-SITE SURVEILLANCE FOR THE KIWI B4E EXPERIMENT by the Southwestern Radiological Health Laboratory U. S. Public Health Service Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Las Vegas, Nevada January 25, 1965 Copy No. 8 R. W. Coulter Chief, Electronics SWRHL Las Vegas, Nevada This surveillance performed under a Memorandum of Understanding (No. SF 54 373) for the U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION ------- ABSTRACT The Public Health Service provided off-site surveillance for the KIWI B4E full power reactor run conducted on August 28, 1964, and for a restart of the reactor on September 10, 1964. Small amounts of radioactive material were detected off site following both tests; however, in no instance did exposures exceed the radiological safety guides set forth in the AEC Manual, Chapter 0524. ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT i TABLE OF CONTENTS ii LIST OF FIGURES iii LIST OF TABLES iii INTRODUCTION 1 Section 1. KIWI B4E EPV, August 28, 1964 2 I. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 2 A. External Measurements 2 B. Environmental Measurements 3 II. RESULTS 8 A. Ground Monitoring Data 8 B. Dose Rate Recorder Data 8 C. Film Badge Data 8 D. Air Sample Data 9 E. Milk Sample Data 10 F. Water Sample Data 10 III. CONCLUSIONS 16 Section 2. KIWI B4E EPVI, September 10, 1964 17 I. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 17 II. RESULTS 18 A. Ground Monitoring Data 18 B. Dose Rate Recorder Data 18 C. Film Badge Data 18 D. Air Sample Data 18 E. Milk and Vegetation Data 20 III. CONCLUSIONS 22 DISTRIBUTION ii ------- LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Air sampler and dose rate recorder locations. Figure 2. Environmental sampling locations. 4 6 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Dose rate measurements off the test range complex on August 28, 1964. 8 Table 2. Meteorological data for EPV. 9 Table 3. Analyses of air samples collected following the KIWI B4E EPV Experiment. 10 Table 4. Milk and vegetation sample analyses for EPV 11 Table 5. Analyses of air samples collected following the KIWI B4E EPVI Experiment. 19 Table 6. Meteorological data for EPVI. 20 Table 7. Milk and vegetation analyses for EPVI. 21 111 ------- INTRODUCTION On August 28 and September 10, 1964 the KIWI B4E reactor was tested at Test Cell C, located at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station, Jackass Flats, Nevada. Each test was conducted at design power and the reactor was operated in an upright position so that the hydrogen coolant exhausted upward along with escaping fission products. Each test will be covered in a separate section of this report. Under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the U. S. Public Health Service (PHS) conducts a program of radiological monitoring and environmental sampling in the off-site area surrounding the Nevada Test Site and the Nellis Air Force Range. The overall complex of the Nevada Test Site(NTS) and the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR) includes the Nuclear Rocket Development Station (NRDS) and the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) and for simplicity will be called the test range complex throughout this report. Since Public Health Service monitors must begin tracking and moni- toring an effluent cloud close to its point of origin, measurements are also made within the test range complex, but are used only as a guide to trajectory determination or for purposes of checking instru- mentation and methodology. They did not serve as parameters in determining dose to people or contamination of property in the off-site area during the KIWI B4E tests and are not a subject of this report. ------- Section 1. KIWI B4E EPV, AUGUST 28, 1964 I. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES On August 28, the KIWI B4E reactor was tested under the conditions known as Experimental Plan V (EPV). The reactor was operated at design power from 1239 to 1247 hours PDT. A. External Measurements Ground Monitoring Thirteen ground monitors tracked the reactor effluent passage with portable instruments. Each monitor was equipped with anEberline E-500B, a Precision Model 111 Standard "Scintillator", and a Victoreen Radector Model No. AGB-50B-SR. The Eberline E-500Bhasa range of 0 to 200 milliroentgens per hour (mr/hr) gamma and beta-gamma detection in four scales with an external halogen filled GM tube and a 0 to 2000 mr/hr range from an internal Anton 302 tube. The Precision Model 111 "Scintil- lator" is used primarily for low level detection and provides for a range of 0 to 5 mr/hr in six scales. The Radector has a range of 0 to 50,000 mr/hr on two scales. This instrument employs an air ionization chamber. These instruments are accurate to + 20%, and readings can be taken to two significant figures. Remote Dose Rate Recorders Eberline RM11 dose rate recorders -were placed at sixteen stations around the test range complex. These recorders utilize a Geiger tube detector to document radiation levels at specific locations. The instrument has a 0.01 to 100 mr/hr range and the gamma dose rate is recorded on a 30-hour strip chart. The RM-11 is accurate to +_ 20% as calibrated with a Co source. The locations of dose rate recorders are presented in Figure 1. 2 ------- Aerial Cloud Tracking An Air Force U-3A aircraft, manned by two Public Health Service monitors equipped with portable instruments identical to those of the ground monitor s , tracked the reactor effluent to position ground monitors. Two Public Health Service C-45 aircraft containing sam- ling equipment were also used as aids in cloud tracking. However, their primary purpose was cloud sampling in order to determine cloud size and inventory. The results of their sampling are re- ported separately. Film Badges The PHS maintains 65 film badge stations off the test range complex and assigns badges to 166 off-site residents. The badge used is made up of Dupont Type 555 film. This film is accurate to + 50% in the 20 to 100 mr range and +_ 10% in the 100 to 2000 mr range. B. Environmental Measurements Air Samples On the test day the PHS maintained General Metal Works high vol- ume air samplers containing glass fiber prefilters at 33 off-site locations as shown in Figure 1. Thirteen of the air samplers were equipped with MSA* charcoal cartridges in addition to the prefilters . All air sample prefilters collected following the KIWI reactor runs •were returned to the Southwestern Radiological Health Laboratory (SWRHL.) in Las Vegas to be counted for gross beta activity -with a thin window, large area proportional probe connected to a high speed sealer. The system has an efficiency of approximately 30% for 1.5 Mev betas and has a background of 575 + 20 counts per minute. Gross beta concentrations were computed at the time of count for the purpose of screening samples and delineating the effluent tra- jectory. These samples were then stored for five days to allow *Mine Safety Appliance Company 3 ------- • RANCHES OR FARMS MILK WATER Figure 1. Air sampler and dose rate recorder locations. 4 ------- natural activity to decay. They were recounted at this time and again seven days later. Activity levels were then recomputed to end of collection from these two later counts. Several air samples exhibiting levels of activity significantly above natural background were recounted frequently to obtain a decay curve. The curve obtained was then analyzed for best fit to the general equation y= ax . Based on an analysis of decay curves, a T " relationship •was found to exist with a mean error of + 5%. This relationship was then used to extrapolate the activity to the end of the collection period. All charcoal cartridges were analyzed for gamma isotopes by placing each cartridge directly on a 4" x 4" sodium iodide crystal coupled to a 400-channel pulse height analyzer set to view energies from 0 to 2 Mev. Assuming no break in the prefilter, the activity on the cartridge should represent the gaseous fission products such as isotopes of iodine. Overall detection efficiency for this geome- try is about 18% atO.53 Mev (I ). The minimum detectable activ- ity for I ,1 ,1 , and I is taken to be 200 picocuries with an associated error of +_ 50% for I ,1 , I , and +_ 100% for I . The time of count is 10 minutes. Error estimates are such that values less than 1 picocurie per cubic meter (pc/M3) are gen- erally not reported. Since it is not possible to define duration of effluent passage at all locations, the reported values given as pc/M3 assume an average concentration over each entire sampling period. Milk and Water Samples After each release of activity from NRDS, milk samples are col- lected from dairies (processing plants), producing dairy farms, and farms producing milk for their own consumption. Milk samples were collected, relative to this event, from the locations shown in Figure 2. Each sample is counted for 50 minutes. No attempt is ------- B AIR SAMPLER WITH CHARCOAL CARTRIDGE Figure 2. Environmental sampling locations. 6 ------- made to recount samples giving low positive values. The lower limit of detection for gamma emitters in milk samples is taken to be 20 picocuries per liter (pc/l)at the time of count, and all results below that value are reported as <20 pc/1. The error associated with reported values is + 20 pc/1. All reported values are extrap- olated to collection time. When it became evident that no contam- ination of milk •was occurring, the sampling program ceased on September 2, 1964. All liquid samples are counted in 3. 5 liter inverted well aluminum beakers which are placed on top of a 4" x 4" crystal coupled to a 400-channel gamma pulse height analyzer- Overall detection effi- ciency for the 0. 364 Mev photopeak of I is 6.4%. A matrix technique is employed in computation to compensate for the inter- ference due to the presence of other isotopes. The input to this matrix is variable, allowing for the simultaneous determination of any eight nuclides for -which detection efficiencies and interference factors have been obtained. Actual computation is performed by an IBM 1620 computer. Vegetation samples were obtained at most milk sampling locations An attempt was made to make the samples representative of the cow's feed; however, the samples were taken primarily as early indicators of where milk might become contaminated and were not intended to yield a cow intake-excretion formula. For this reason the vegetation sample results are reported simply as fresh fission products present or not present. ------- II. RESULTS The August 28 design power run yielded low levels of radioactivity off the test range complex. A summary of weather conditions at 1155 on the test day is presented in Table 2. Based on these condi- tions radiation monitors were positioned in an area north by north- east of the test range complex. A. Ground Monitoring Data Peak gamma dose rates occurring off the test range complex are given in Table 1. The only locations at which ground moni- tors detected dose rates above background were Coyote Summit and Goss1 Ranch; Coyote Summit is uninhabited and Goss1 Ranch had a population of two adults and three children during the sur- veillance period. Table 1. Dose rate measurements off the test range complex on August 28, 1964. Location (See Fig. 1) Goss' Ranch Coyote Summit Time of Peak Dose Rate (PDT) 1505 1505 Time interval in which dose rates greater than back- ground existed. 1440-1545 1445-1550 Net Peak dose rate (mr/hr) 0. 18 0. 17 B. Dose Rate Recorder Data Recorder data indicated no dose rates above background on the test day. This includes data from Diablo, Twin Springs Ranch, Lund, Pioche, and Caliente. C. Film Badge Data Due to the low dose rates encountered at points north of the test range complex, no off-site film badges were collected imme- 8 ------- diately following the KIWI B4E test. Badges collected since that time, however, have had no exposures which could be attributed to the EPV test. Table 2. Meteorological data for EPV. Upper air data at: Jackass Flats, Nevada, 1155 PDT, 8/28/64 Height Wind Pressure Temperature Dew Point Relative (Ft. MSL) (Deg/kts) (mb) (°C) (°C) Humidity SFC 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000 13000 14000 200/10 200/21 200/18 203/16 199/16 191/16 200/18 210/23 236/17 248/17 243/21 258/16 885 874 843 814 787 750 730 705 678 653 630 607 29. 3 26. 1 21. 2 18.6 16.2 13. 5 11. 5 11.4 9.4 7. 3 4.8 2.2 2. 0 - 2.6 - 4.2 - 4. 3 - 5. 0 - 5. 2 -11.4 -12. 1 -12.4 -13. 0 -14. 5 -16. 3 13 15 18 21 23 27 19 18 20 22 23 24 D. Air Sample Data Several samples obtained on the test day contained fresh fission products. The results of analyses of the prefilters and charcoal cartridges are presented in Table 3. ------- Table 3. Analyses of air samples containing fresh fission products col- lected following the KIWI B4E EPV Experiment reported in pc/M3 at end of collection. Location Time-Date Time-Date Vol- Prefilter Gamma Pulse Ht. onHrsPDT off Hrs PDT ume Gross Analysis rl 31 Tl 3 2 Tl 3 3 Tl 3 5 (M3) Beta P 3 10 42 <1 Goss'Ranch 1400 8-28 16008-28 85 22.0 Q 1Q 10QO 10Q 50Q Pioche 18408-28 12008-29707 <1 ££D ND <1ND 14458-28 09008-29776 <1 g^g gg <}gg P-prefilter C-charcoal cartridge ND-not detectable In addition to the above information, a charcoal cartridge from an air sampler at Blue Jay Maintenance Station showed the following results: I131, <1; I132, ND; I*33, ND; I135, ND. This sample ran from 0700 hours on August 28 to 0700 hours on August 29. Air samples taken on August 28 at Alamo, Sunnyside, Currant, Lund, and Ely, Nevada, and Garrison, Utah, did not possess fresh fission products when analyzed. E. Milk Sample Data A milk sample obtained on August 30 from Donahue's Ranch, loca- ted 25 miles north of Ursine, Nevada, indicated the presence of I at a level of 20 pc/1 - the threshold of detectability for this isotope. Milk samples obtained from 21 other ranches and four producer dairies did not contain fresh fission products in detectable quantities. The cesium values reported are •within the range of the cesium levels generally .found in the particular areas sampled. F. Water Sample Data A non-potable water sample taken from a pond at Fillmore, Utah on August 31 indicated 20 pc/1 of I . Six additional samples from other locations in Nevada and Utah did not contain fresh fission products when analyzed. 10 ------- Table 4. Milk and vegetation sample analyses for EPV COLLECTION DATA LOCATION M. Sharp Ranch Nyala, Nevada Blue Eagle Ranch (J.Sharp) Currant, Nevada Manzonie Ranch Currant, Nevada Halstead Ranch Duckwater, Nevada Hendrick Ranch Sunny side, Nevada McKenzie Dairy Lund, Nevada DATE COLLECTED 1964 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 8/29 AM 8/29 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 9/02 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM Milk Radioassav Data ACTIVITY (pc/l) T131 133 _ 137 I I Cs <20 <20 25 <20 <20 100 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 80 <20 <20 100 <20 <20 90 <20 <20 50 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 90 <20 <20 95 <20 <20 75 <20 <20 95 <20 <20 85 <20 <20 80 Vegetation Samples Taken P P ND ND ND ND ND - fresh fission products not present in vegetation. P - presence of fresh fission products in vegetation samples. vegetation samples not taken. ------- Table 4. Milk and vegetation sample analyses for EPV (cont) COLLECTION DATA LOCATION McKenzie Dairy (cont) Georgetown Ranch Ely, Nevada Henroid Ranch Cherry Creek, Nevada Yelland Ranch Ely, Nevada Eldridge Ranch Ely, Nevada Kirkeby Ranch Sho shone, Nevada DATE COLLECTED 1964 9/01 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/02 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 PM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM Milk Radioassav Data ACTIVITY (pe/l) T131 .133 _ 137 I I Cs <20 <20 100 <20 <20 45 <20 <20 45 <20 <20 50 <20 <20 90 <20 <20 115 <20 <20 85 <20 <20 110 <20 <20 130 <20 <20 150 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 25 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 30 <20 <20 10 Vegetation Samples -Taken ND ND ND P ND ND ND ND ND ND - fresh fission products not present in vegetation. P - presence of fresh fission products in vegetation samples. vegetation samples not taken. ------- Table 4. Milk and vegetation sample analyses for EPV (cont) COLLECTION DATA LOCATION Donahue Ranch Ursine, Nevada Lytle Ranch Ursine, Nevada Horlacher Ranch Pioche, Nevada Lee Ranch Panaca, Nevada Young Ranch Caliente, Nevada DATE COLLECTED 1964 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 9/01 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 PM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM Milk Radioassav Data ACTIVITY (pc/l) T131 133 137 I I Cs 20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 25 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 80 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 30 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 30 Vegetation Samples Taken P ND ND ND ND P ND ND - fresh fission products not present in vegetation. P - presence of fresh fission products in vegetation samples. vegetation samples not taken. ------- Table 4. Milk and vegetation sample analyses for EPV (cont) COLLECTION DATA LOCATION Bradshaw Ranch Elgin, Nevada Schofield Dairy Hiko, Nevada Stewart Dairy Alamo, Nevada College of S. Utah Cedar City, Utah Roberts Ranch Beaver, Jtah DATE COLLECTED 1964 9/01 PM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM 8/31 PM 8/31 PM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM Milk Radioassav Data ACTIVITY (pc/l) .131 T133 137 I I Cs <20 <20 60 <20 <20 45 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 50 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 60 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 35 Vegetation Samples Ta t*»n ND P ND ND ND _._ ND ND - fresh fission products not present in vegetation. P - presence of fresh fission products in vegetation samples. vegetation samples not taken. ------- Table 4. Milk and vegetation samples analyses for EPV (cont) COLLECTION DATA LOCATION Carter Ranch Beaver, Utah Goodwin Ranch Milford, Utah Utley Ranch Fillmore, Utah Anderson Ranch Delta, Utah Gonder Ranch Garrison, Utah DATE COLLECTED 1964 8/31 PM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 PM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/02 AM 8/29 AM 8/30 AM 8/31 AM 9/01 AM 9/02 AM Milk Radioassav Data ACTIVITY (pc/l) .131 133 _ 137 I I Cs <20 <20 45 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 25 <20 <20 25 <20 <20 30 <20 <20 25 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 65 <20 <20 95 <20 <20 110 <20 <20 115 <20 <20 50 <20 <20 40 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 45 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 45 Vegetation Samples Taken ND ND ND ND ND ND ND ND ND - fresh fission products not present in vegetation. P - presence of fresh fission products in vegetation samples. vegetation samples not taken. ------- III. CONCLUSIONS The KIWI B4E-EPV test yielded low levels of radioactivity off the test range complex. Fresh fission products were found in a sector north by northeast of the complex. Vegetation samples bearing fresh fission products were found as far north as the Blue Jay Maintenance Station and Spring Valley (30 miles NE of Ely, Nevada), and as far east as Fillmore, Utah. However, most of the samples taken did not include fresh fission products. Since peak radioiodine concentration in milk can be expected 3 to 5 days following a contamination of feed, the 20 pc/1 of I in milk from Donahue's Ranch on August 30 is assumed to be close to the maximum value that occurred at this location. This value can be compared to the Federal Radiation Council (FRC) Report No. 21 . A daily intake of 100 pc averaged over a year is considered an acceptable intake level. Such an intake will yield a 0.5 rad/year dose to an infant's thyroid. Thus the radioiodine level in milk at Donahue's Ranch did not represent a hazard. "Background material for the development of radiation protection standards," Report No. 2, Federal Radiation Council, Sept. 1961. 16 ------- Section 2. KIWI B4E EPVI, SEPTEMBER 10, 1964 I. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES The KIWI B4E reactor was tested under the conditions known as Ex- perimental Plan VI (EPVI) on September 10, 1964 with the reactor tested in an upright position. The test was a nominal two minute run at design power and commenced at 1155 PDT. The procedures followed on this experiment were similar to those in support of the August 28 test. 17 ------- II. RESULTS The September 10 design power run yielded low levels of radioactiv- ity off the test range complex. A summary of weather conditions at 1155 on the test day is presented in Table 6. Based on these condi- tions radiation monitors were positioned in an area north by north- east of the test range complex. A. Ground Monitoring Data Gamma dose rates above background were not detected off the test range complex with portable monitoring instruments, al- though monitors were in the path of the cloud as determined by aerial monitoring and environmental sampling. B. Dose Rate Recorder Data Recorder data, including that from Pioche, Caliente, and Alamo indicated no dose rates above background on the day of the test. C. Film Badge Data Due to the low dose rates off the test range complex, no off-site film badges were collected immediately following the KIWI B4E test. Badges collected since that time, however^ have had no exposures which could be attributed to the EPVI test. D. Air Sample Data Three samples collected on the test day contained fresh fission products and the results are presented in Table 5. Other air samples taken on September 10 at Pioche, Alamo, Ely, Sunny- side, and Currant, Nevada, and Garrison, Utah did not contain detectable quantities of fresh fission products. 18 ------- Table 5. Analyses of air samples containing fresh fission products col- lected following the KIWI B4E EPVI Experiment reported in pc/M3 at end of collection. Location Time-Date Time-Date Vol- Prefilter Gamma Pulse Ht. on Hrs PDT offHrsPDT ume Gross Analysis (M3) Beta ^ 31 ^ 3 2 ^33^35 Goss'Ranch 1500 9-10 17459-10 119 445 ^ ° Hiko 08109-10 08159-11 900 19 * °o'.l KD Caliente 09209-10 08009-11963 <1 P-prefilter C -charcoal cartridge ND -not detectable 19 ------- Table 6. Meteorological data for EPVI Upper air data at: Jackass Flats, Nevada, 1230 PDT, 9/10/64. Height Wind Pressure Temperature Dew Point Relative (Ft. MSL) (Deg/Kts) (mb) (°C) (°C) Humidity SFC 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000 13000 14000 185/12 193/06 192/08 194/10 196/09 188/07 207/08 256/08 252/14 239/17 244/22 243/19 894 884 852 824 794 757 740 715 688 666 638 616 29. 0 27.5 24. 0 21.3 18.8 15.7 12.6 9.5 6.8 5.7 4.6 2. 0 1.5 -1.5 -3.4 -2.6 -2.8 -2.7 -4. 1 -5.7 -6.9 -10.9 MB MB 17 15 16 20 23 28 31 34 37 29 (13) (13) MB -Motor Boating -dewpoint was below the limitation of the instrument. E. Milk and Vegetation Data Only milk samples from Schofield Dairy Farm at Hiko, Nevada indicated fresh fission products in detectable quantities. Results of analysis of all milk samples collected are shown in Table 7. Vegetation samples were collected primarily to determine milk sampling locations. 20 ------- Table 7. Milk and vegetation analyses for EPVI COLLECTION DATA LOCATION Schofield Dairy Hiko, Nevada Stewart Alamo, Nevada Horlacher Pioche, Nevada Young Caliente, Nevada Lytle Ursine, Nevada DATE COLLECTED 9-12 9-13 9-15 9-17 9-23 9-11 9-12 9-13 9-15 9-11 9-12 9-13 9-11 9-12 9-13 9-12 9-13 Radioassay Data ACTIVITY (pc/l) .131 T133 „ 137 I I Cs 30 <20 40 40 <20 35 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 35 <20 <20 30 <20 <20 35 <20 <20 85 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 70 <20 <20 55 <20 <20 10 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 20 <20 <20 30 <20 <20 15 Vegetation Samples Taken P P P P P ND ND ND ND ND ND ND XD ND ND ND ND Notes: P-presence of fresh fission products in vegetation sample ND-fresh fission products not present in vegetation ------- III. CONCLUSIONS The KIWI B4E EPVI test yielded low levels of radioactivity off the test range complex. Although EPV is believed to have produced a greater release of fission products than EPVI, the peak concentra- 131 tions of 40 pc/1 of I in milk at Hiko following EPVI was greater than values in any milk collected following EPV. This was undoubt- edly due to meteorological conditions on the test days. Schofield Dairy Farm at Hiko, Nevada, was the only location that showed radioiodine in milk samples. There are no other dairies in Hiko. As stated earlier in the report, a daily intake of 100 pc/1 averaged over a year is considered an acceptable intake level. There - fore, the maximum concentration of 40 pc/1 at Hiko presents no radio- logical hazard to the consumers of the milk. Winds on August 28 for EPV were very strong and gusty -while those on September 10 for EPVI were light. The strong winds of August 28 spread the fresh fission products rapidly over a large area, reduc- ing the concentrations in any one area. Wind conditions on Sep- tember 10 carried the effluent to the Hiko area in approximately 10 hours for an arrival time of 2200 PDT. Negligible winds during the night tended to concentrate the deposition in the Hiko area. Such reasoning constitutes a possible explanation for the lack of detect- able contamination at locations other than at Hiko. 22 ------- DISTRIBUTION LIST 1-15 SWRHL, Las Vegas, Nevada 16 G. D. Ferber, USWB, MRPB (R-3.3), Washington, D. C. 17 Phillip W. Allen, USWB, NVOO, Las Vegas, Nevada 18 Harold Mueller, USWB, NVOO, Las Vegas, Nevada 19 Col. E. G. Halligan, DASA, NVOO, Las Vegas, Nevada 20 C. S. Maupin, REECo, Mercury, Nevada 21 V. M. Milligan, REECo, Mercury, Nevada 22 Vincent Vespe, ALOO, Albuquerque, New Mexico 23-25 George T. Anton, SNPO-N, Jackass Flats, Nevada 26 B. P. Helgeson, SNPO-N, NRDS, Jackass Flats, Nevada 27 John C. Gallimore, WANL, NRDS, Jackass Flats, Nevada 28 Morton I. Goldman, NUS, Washington, D. C. 29 Elmer Hemmerle, Westinghouse Electric Corp, Pittsburgh, Pa. 30 David Smith, Lewis Research Center, SNPO-C, Cleveland, Ohio 31 John M. Wright, SNPO-N, Jackass Flats, Nevada 32 Hugo G. Simens, NERVA Test Opns. , Aerojet-Gen. Corp, Jackass Flats, Nevada 33 Bernd Kahn, DRH, RATSEC, Cincinnati, Ohio 34 Raymond Moore, DRH, PHS, Region VII, Dallas, Texas 35 James G. Terrill Jr., DRH, PHS, Washington, D. C. 36-38 Robert H. Goeckermann, LRL, Livermore, California 39 John W. Gofman, LRL, Livermore, California 40 Keith Boyer, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 41 Charles I. Browne, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 42 Alvin C. Graves, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 43 Harry S. Jordon, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 44 L. D. P- King, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 45 Herbert T. Knight, LASL, NRDS, Jackass Flats, Nevada 46 William E. Ogle, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 47 Fred Sanders, LASL, Mercury, Nevada ------- DISTRIBUTION LIST (CONT) 48 Oren Stopinski, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico 49 James E. Reeves, Manager, NVOO, AEG, Las Vegas, Nevada 50 Otto H. Roehlk, OSD, NVOO, Las Vegas, Nevada 51 Henry G. Vermillion, NVOO, AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada 52 Robert E. Baker, AEC, Washington, D.C. 53 Col. RalphS. Decker, SNPO, Washington, D.C. 54 Gordon M. Dunning, DOS, AEC, Washington, D. C. 55 Brig. Gen. D. L. Crowson, DMA, AEC, Washington, D.C. 56 Mail & Records, NVOO, AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada 57-75 Author's Copies ------- |