Volume 4, Number 2 November 2009
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The quarterly update of U.S. EPA's Homeland Security
Technology Testing & Evaluation Program (TTEP)
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Evaluation of Large-Scale Radiological Decontamination Processes
Welcome to TTEP
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) is actively participating in the national
homeland security effort by ensuring the
protection of the nation's drinking water
systems and the safety of the public in
buildings and other structures. The National
Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC)
under EPA's Office of Research and Develop-
ment has established the Technology Testing
and Evaluation Program (TTEP) to assist this
effort. TTEP is conducting third-party perfor-
mance evaluations of commercially available
homeland security technologies, incorporat-
ing stakeholder guidance and a high degree of
quality assurance oversight. Completed TTEP
documents may be found at www.epa.gov/
nhsrc/ttep.html. Questions about TTEP should
be directed to Mr. Eric Koglin (kog!in,eric@
epa.gov or 702-798-2332).
The EPA NHSRC is conducting
technology evaluations for the
decontamination of radiological
contamination from urban construction
materials through TTEP. The objective
of these technology evaluations,
conducted by Battelle and Idaho
National Laboratory (INL), is to
determine the efficacy of variou s
decontamination approaches while
minimizing destruction of urban
surfaces.
During 2007, two strippable coatings
were evaluated through TTEP using
a bench-scale test stand of concrete
coupons that measured 2 feet (ft) x
3 ft. During the summer of 2009, a
second technology evaluation was
conducted through TTEP using a
larger-scale test stand (9 ft x 9 ft) to
accommodate larger decontamination
equipment. This testing involved five
technologies. Three of these utilized a
handheld grinder equipped with either
sanding, steel brush, or diamond wheel
heads; all three were equipped with a
vacuum shroud to minimize secondary
contamination. The other two
technologies tested included a rotating
hot water blasting technology and a grit
blasting technology, both of which were
also equipped with a vacuum shroud for
secondary waste collection. The five
technologies that were evaluated are
pictured below.
The experimental design included the
use of 6 inch x 6 inch concrete coupons
to simulate concrete building surfaces
that might become contaminated with
radioactive cesium (Cs)-137. The
entire surface of these concrete coupons
was contaminated with a fine mist of
an aqueous solution of Cs-137. The
See Radiological Decort next page
The five technologies that were evaluated are shown left to right: Dust Director (steel brush and diamond cutter heads), CS
Unitec (sanding head), River Technologies (hot water blasting), and Empire Abrasive (grit blasting).
Evaluated Radiological Decontamination Technologies

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Radiological Decon (cont.)
radiological activity on each coupon
was then measured using a gamma-
spectrometer. For each technology
evaluation, eight contaminated coupons
were placed in the vertical test stand
and fastened into place to mimic
the wall surface of a building. One
uncontaminated (blank) coupon was
placed in the bottom center of the test
stand to study the amount of cross
contamination that may have occurred
during the use of each technology.
All of the testing was accomplished
in a radiological work area at INL by
workers outfitted in anti-contamination
personal protective equipment. Once
the contaminated coupons were
placed in the test stand, one of the
decontamination technologies was
applied to the coupons according to a
predetermined procedure. Following
the application of the technology to
all nine coupons (eight contaminated
coupons and one blank), the coupons
were removed from the test stand
and the activity measured again in
order to determine the efficacy of the
decontamination technology. This
process was repeated for each of the
five technologies.
Following analysis of the data obtained
from these evaluations, the results will
be compiled into TTEP evaluation
reports. These reports are expected to
be available early in 2010. If you have
questions about this TTEP evaluation,
please contact Mr. John Drake (513-
235-4273 or drake.john@epa.gov)
or Dr. Ryan James (614-424-7954 or
jamesr@battelle.org).
Drinking Water Pipe - Contaminant Persistence and Decontamination
NFISRC conducts research to protect,
detect, respond to, and recover from
terrorist attacks on the nation's water
and wastewater infrastructure.. Over
the past several years, EPA and
water utilities have identified and
prioritized key research needs that
pertain to the decontamination of
water systems. NFISRC is taking
the lead on addressing existing
research gaps. Specifically, key areas
of concern include the adsorption
of contaminants introduced into
drinking water distribution systems to
pipe walls, or corrosion and biofilm
on interior pipe surfaces, and the
restoration of the water distribution
system to normal use as quickly as
possible should adsorption occur.
In support of this important research
area, NFISRC has initiated a project
under TTEP to develop and test a
prototype experimental design to
quantitatively determine the adsorption
propensity of individual priority
contaminants to various drinking
water pipe materials. In addition, this
experimental design will include the
testing of methods for decontaminating
affected pipe surfaces, if indeed the
contaminant is persistent on the pipe.
The ultimate result of this project will
be an experimental design that can be
implemented in a reproducible fashion
across laboratories and for various
contaminants. This experimental
design will be used to gain additional
experimental information about the
adsorption of chemical, biological, and
radiological contaminants to various
drinking water pipe materials and test
various methods to destroy, reduce,
or remove adsorbed contaminants.
Many priority contaminants have
not yet been studied and use of
the prototype design would permit
increased confidence, continuity, and
comparability of results across studies.
This new project will be conducted
over the upcoming year. If you have
questions about this work, please
contact Mr. Scott Minamyer (513-569-
7175 or minamyer.scott@epa.gov)
or Dr. Ryan James (614-424-7954 or
j amesr@battelle. org).
Non-Radioactive Alternatives to Sealed Source Radiography Cameras
EPA and Battelle are soliciting vendors and collaborators for
verification testing of non-radioactive alternatives to sealed
source radiography cameras for industrial applications,
including monitoring the integrity of pipes and tanks. Tests
evaluating the performance of alternative, non-nuclear
source devices against standard sealed-source radiography
cameras will be conducted at an industrial facility. Potential
collaborators willing to support the testing of these devices
at their facility are also sought. Interested vendors and
collaborators should contact Stephanie Buehler (614-424-
3972 or buchlers a battelle.org).
Notice to TTEP Quarterly Recipients: Ifyou would prefer to receive the TTEP Quarterly
electronically, please inform Dr. Ryan James (614-424-7954 orjamesr@battelle.org).

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