&EPA
EPA 600/R-11/085| August 2011 | www.epa.gov/ord
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Technology Evaluation Report
INTEK Technologies ND-75
and ND-600 for Radiological
Decontamination
Office of Research and Development
National Homeland Security Research Center

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EPA 600/R-11/085
August 2011
Technology Evaluation Report
INTEK Technologies
ND-75 and ND-600 for Radiological
Decontamination
John Drake
Task Order Project Officer
National Homeland Security Research Center
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268

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Disclaimer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Office of Research and
Development's National Homeland Security Research Center, funded and managed this
technology evaluation through a Blanket Purchase Agreement under General Services
Administration contract number GS23F0011L-3 with Battelle. This report has been peer
and administratively reviewed and has been approved for publication as an EPA
document. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use of a specific product.
Questions concerning this document or its application should be addressed to:
John Drake
National Homeland Security Research Center
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 West Martin Luther King Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45268
513-569-7164
drake.john@epa.gov

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Foreword
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) holds responsibilities associated with
homeland security events: EPA is the primary federal agency responsible for
decontamination following a chemical, biological, and/or radiological (CBR) attack. The
National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) was established to conduct
research and deliver scientific products that improve the capability of the Agency to carry
out these responsibilities.
An important goal of NHSRC's research is to develop and deliver information on
decontamination methods and technologies to clean up CBR contamination. When
directing such a recovery operation, EPA and other stakeholders must identify and
implement decontamination technologies that are appropriate for the given situation. The
NHSRC has created the Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP) in an effort
to provide reliable information regarding the performance of homeland security related
technologies. Through TTEP, NHSRC provides independent, quality assured
performance information that is useful to decision makers in purchasing or applying the
tested technologies. TTEP provides potential users with unbiased, third-party information
that can supplement vendor-provided information. Stakeholder involvement ensures that
user needs and perspectives are incorporated into the test design so that useful
performance information is produced for each of the tested technologies. The technology
categories of interest include detection and monitoring, water treatment, air purification,
decontamination, and computer modeling tools for use by those responsible for protecting
buildings, drinking water supplies and infrastructure, and for decontaminating structures
and the outdoor environment. Additionally, environmental persistence information is also
important for containment and decontamination decisions.
NHSRC is pleased to make this publication available to assist the response community to
prepare for and recover from disasters involving CBR contamination. This research is
intended to move EPA one step closer to achieving its homeland security goals and its
overall mission of protecting human health and the environment while providing
sustainable solutions to our environmental problems.
Jonathan G. Herrmann, Director
National Homeland Security Research Center
111

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Acknowledgments
Contributions of the following individuals and organizations to the development of this document
are gratefully acknowledged.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
John Drake
Emily Snyder
Kathy Hall
Eletha Brady-Roberts
Leroy Mickelsen
JoAnn Eskelsen
University of Tennessee
Dr. Howard Hall
United States Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratories
Battelle Memorial Institute
iv

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Contents
Disclaimer	ii
Foreword	iii
Acknowledgments	iv
Abbreviations/Acronyms	vii
Executive Summary	viii
1.0 Introduction	1
2.0 Technology Description	3
3.0 Experimental Details	5
3.1	Experiment Preparation	5
3.1.1	Concrete Coupons	5
3.1.2	Coupon Contamination	5
3.1.3	Measurement of Activity on Coupon Surface	6
3.1.4	Surface Construction Using Test Stand	7
3.2	Evaluation Procedures	7
4.0 Quality Assurance/Quality Control	9
4.1	Intrinsic Germanium Detector	9
4.2	Audits	10
4.2.1	Performance Evaluation Audit	10
4.2.2	Technical Systems Audit	11
4.2.3	Data Quality Audit	11
4.3	QA/QC Reporting	11
5.0 Evaluation Results	12
5.1	Decontamination Efficacy	12
5.2	Deployment and Operational Factors	13
6.0 Performance Summary	16
6.1	Decontamination Efficacy	16
6.2	Deployment and Operational Factors	16
7.0 References	178
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Figures
Figure 2-1. Containers of ND-75 (left) and ND-600 (right)	4
Figure 3-1. Demonstration of contaminant application technique	6
Figure 3-2. Containment tent: outer view (left) and inner view with test stand
containing contaminated coupons (right)	7
Figure 5-1. Application and removal of ND-75 or ND-600	 14
Tables
Table 3-1. Characteristics of Portland Cement Clinker Used to Make Concrete
Coupons	5
Table 4-1. Calibration Results - Difference from Th-228 Calibration Energies	9
Table 4-2. NIST-Traceable Eu-152 Activity Standard Check	11
Table 5-1. Decontamination Efficacy Results for ND-75	13
Table 5-2. Decontamination Efficacy Results for ND-600	 13
Table 5-3. Operational Factors Gathered from the Evaluation	15
vi

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Abbreviations/Acronyms
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
ASTM	ASTM International
BQ	Becquerel
CBRNIAC	Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense Information
Analysis Center
°C	degrees Celsius
CC	cross-contamination
Cs	Cesium
cm	centimeter
cm2	square centimeter
DARPA	Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
DF	decontamination factor
DHS	U.S. Department of Homeland Security
DOD	Department of Defense
EPA	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Eu	Europium
°F	degrees Fahrenheit
IEEE	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
INL	Idaho National Laboratory
keV	kilo electron volts
mL	milliliter(s)
L	liter
m	meter
m2	square meter
|iCi	microCurie
NHSRC	National Homeland Security Research Center
NIST	National Institute of Standards and Technology
ORD	Office of Research and Development
PE	performance evaluation
PPE	personal protective equipment
%R	percent removal
QA	quality assurance
QC	quality control
QMP	quality management plan
RDD	radiological dispersion device
RH	relative humidity
RML	Radi ol ogi cal Measurem ent Lab oratory
RSD	relative standard deviation
Th	Thorium
TSA	technical systems audit
TTEP	Technology Testing and Evaluation Program
vii

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Executive Summary
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Homeland Security
Research Center (NHSRC) is helping to protect human health and the environment from
adverse impacts resulting from acts of terror by carrying out performance tests on
homeland security technologies. Through its Technology Testing and Evaluation
Program (TTEP) NHSRC evaluated the INTEK Technologies ND-75 and ND-600
decontamination agents and their ability to remove radioactive cesium (Cs)-137 from the
surface of unpainted concrete.
Experimental Procedures. ND-75 and ND-600 are aqueous based decontamination
agents that function by forming complexes with metal ions and solubilizing them. Eight
15 centimeter (cm) x 15 cm unpainted concrete coupons were contaminated with
approximately 1 microCurie (|iCi) of Cs-137 per coupon. The amount of contamination
deposited on each coupon was measured using gamma spectroscopy. The eight
contaminated coupons were placed in a test stand (along with one uncontaminated blank
coupon) that was designed to hold nine concrete coupons in a vertical orientation to
simulate the wall of a building. Four contaminated coupons were decontaminated with
ND-75 and the other four contaminated coupons were decontaminated with ND-600, and
the decontamination efficacy was determined by calculating both a decontamination
factor (DF) and percent removal (%R). Important deployment and operational factors
were also documented and reported.
Results. The decontamination efficacy (in terms of %R) attained for ND-75 and ND-600
was evaluated for each concrete coupon used during the evaluation. When the
decontamination efficacy metrics (%R and DF) of the four contaminated coupons
decontaminated by each were averaged together, the average %R for ND-75 was 47% ±
6% and the average DF was 1.9 ± 0.22. The average %R for ND-600 was 52% ± 12%
and the average DF was 2.1 ±0.44.
The application of ND-75 and ND-600 included use of plastic spray bottles. Application
of the ND-75 and ND-600 solutions to each coupon took very little time (just a few
seconds) in relation to the recommended dwell time of 30 minutes and 15 minutes for
ND-75 and ND-600, respectively. Following application, rinsing was performed by
spraying with deionized water and wet vacuum removal (approximately 30 seconds per
coupon). This procedure was repeated two additional times so the total time elapsed for
the coupons decontaminated with ND-75 was just over 90 minutes and for the coupons
decontaminated with ND-600, just over 45 minutes.
For this evaluation, electricity was used to operate the wet vacuum. Scaled up
applications in remote locations may require additional utilities to provide means for
sprayer and larger scale vacuum removal. Minimal training would be required for

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technicians using the ND-75 and ND-600, and the surface of the concrete was not visibly
damaged during use of the ND-75 or ND-600.
IX

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1.0 Introduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) National Homeland
Security Research Center (NHSRC) is
helping to protect human health and the
environment from adverse effects
resulting from acts of terror. NHSRC is
emphasizing decontamination and
consequence management, water
infrastructure protection, and threat and
consequence assessment. In doing so,
NHRSC is working to develop tools and
information that will improve the ability
of operational personnel to detect the
intentional introduction of chemical,
biological, or radiological contaminants
on or into buildings or water systems, to
contain or mitigate these contaminants,
to decontaminate affected buildings
and/or water systems, and to dispose of
contaminated materials resulting from
cleanups.
NHSRC's Technology Testing and
Evaluation Program (TTEP) works in
partnership with recognized testing
organizations; stakeholder groups
consisting of buyers, vendor
organizations, and permitters; and
through the participation of individual
technology developers in carrying out
performance tests on homeland security
technologies. The program evaluates the
performance of homeland security
technologies by developing evaluation
plans that are responsive to the needs of
stakeholders, conducting tests, collecting
and analyzing data, and preparing peer-
reviewed reports. All evaluations are
conducted in accordance with rigorous
quality assurance (QA) protocols to
ensure that data of known and high
quality are generated and that the results
are defensible. Through TTEP, NHSRC
provides high-quality information that is
useful to decision makers in purchasing
or applying the evaluated technologies,
and in planning cleanup operations. The
evaluations generated through TTEP
provide potential users with unbiased,
third-party information that can
supplement vendor-provided
information. Stakeholder involvement
ensures that user needs and perspectives
are incorporated into the evaluation
design so that useful performance
information is produced for each of the
evaluated technologies.
Through TTEP, NHSRC evaluated the
performance of ND-75 and ND-600
from INTEK Technologies (Fairfax,
VA), in removing radioactive isotope
cesium (Cs)-137 from unpainted
concrete. A peer-reviewed test/QA plan
was followed, entitled "The Performance
of Selected Radiological
Decontamination Processes on Urban
Substrates", Version 1.0, Amendment 1
dated July 14, 2010. This document will
be referred to as the test/QA plan and
was developed according to the
requirements of the Quality Management
Plan (QMP) for the Technology Testing
and Evaluation Program, Version 3.0
dated January 2008. The evaluation
generated the following performance
information:
•	Decontamination efficacy,
defined as the extent of
radionuclide removal following
use of the ND-75 and ND-600,
and the possibility of cross-
contamination (CC)
•	Deployment and operational
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factors, including the
approximate rate of surface area
decontamination, applicability to
irregular surfaces, skilled labor
requirement, utility requirements,
portability, secondary waste
management, and technology
cost.
The evaluation of the ND-75 and ND-
600 took place November 3, 2010, with
the pre-evaluation activity measurements
occurring in September 2010 and the
post-evaluation activity measurements
also occurring in November 2010. All
of the experimental work took place in a
radiological contamination area at the
U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho
National Laboratory (INL). This report
describes the quantitative results and
qualitative observations gathered during
the evaluation of the ND-75 and ND-
600. The contractor and EPA were
responsible for QA oversight. A
technical systems audit (TSA) was
conducted during the evaluation as well
as a data quality audit of the evaluation
data.
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2.0 Technc
This technology evaluation report
provides results on the performance of
ND-75 and ND-600 under laboratory
conditions. The following description of
the ND-75 and ND-600 decontamination
products is based on information
provided by the vendor and was not
verified during this evaluation.
ND-75 is an operationally friendly,
aqueous based, near neutral pH solution,
formulated around an organic
polydentate chelating agent
(ethyl enedi aminetetraacetyl hydrazi de)
that functions by forming coordination
compounds with metal ions and
solubilizing them. Specifically, the
interaction between the chelating agent
and radioactive metal compound
weakens the structural integrity of the
contaminant and causes it to break away
from the substrate material. The
chelating agent continues to solubilize
these particles while they are suspended
in the ND-75 solution.
Operationally, ND-600 is a similar
decontamination agent. ND-600
functions by removing radioactive loose
surface (smearable) deposits, including
grime, soil, and light amounts of oil or
grease that may entrap them, and
emulsifying, dispersing and dissolving
them. The chelating agents in ND-600
form coordination compounds with
metal ions, thus solubilizing them. Both
ND-75 and ND-600 function across a
broad temperature range. This range can
extend from below freezing (when used
with an appropriate antifreeze) to 113 °C
(235 °F) (in a pressurized system).
For both ND-75 and ND-600,
decontamination is achieved by
immersing or spraying the contaminated
item, maintaining a wet surface for 15 or
30 minutes and then rinsing with fresh
water. Agitation, flow, or scrubbing will
enhance performance. Repeat
application, using fresh ND-75 or ND-
600, often helps achieve the
decontamination factor desired. ND-75
and ND-600 may not be discharged to
U.S. waters. After decontamination, the
contaminated solution and rinse water
may be mixed with a solidification agent
for disposal as low-level radioactive
waste. In the absence of radioactivity,
ND-75 and ND-600 and their
corresponding rinse waters may be
destroyed by incineration or by chemical
oxidation, using sodium hypochlorite,
calcium hypochlorite, or alkaline
permanganate. Figure 2-1 shows
containers of both ND-75 and ND-600.
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*** Twhir>otesy
Figure 2-1. Containers of ND-75 (left) and ND-600 (right)

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3.0 Experimental Details
3.1 Experiment Preparation
3.1.1 Concrete Coupons
The concrete coupons were prepared
from a single batch of concrete made
from Type II Portland cement. The
ready-mix company (Burns Brothers
Redi-Mix, Idaho Falls, ID) that supplied
the concrete for this evaluation provided
the data which describes the cement
clinker used in the concrete mix. For
Type II Portland cement, the ASTM
International (ASTM) Standard C 150-71
specifies that tricalcium aluminate
accounts for less than 8% of the overall
cement clinker (by weight). The cement
clinker used for the concrete coupons
was 4.5% tricalcium aluminate (Table 3-
1). For Type I Portland cement the
tricalcium aluminate content should be
less than 15%. Because Type I and II
Portland cements differ only in
tricalcium aluminate content, the cement
used during this evaluation meets the
specifications for both Type I and II
Portland cements. The apparent porosity
of the concrete from the prepared
coupons ranged from 15-30%).
Table 3-1. Characteristics of Portland Cement Clinker
	Used to Make Concrete Coupons	
	Cement Constituent	Percent of Mixture
Tricalcium Silicate	57.6
Dicalcium Silicate	21.1
Tricalcium Aluminate	4.5
Tetracalcium Aluminoferrite	8.7
Minor Constituents	8.1
The concrete was representative of
exterior concrete commonly found in
urban environments in the United States
as shown by INL under a previous
project entitled, "Radionuclide Detection
and Decontamination Program. Broad
Agency Announcement 03-013"
sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Defense (DOD), Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS).The wet concrete was poured into
0.9 meter (m) square plywood forms
with the exposed surface "floated" to
allow the smaller aggregate and cement
paste to float to the top, and the concrete
was then cured for 21 days. Following
curing, the squares were cut to the
desired size with a laser-guided rock
saw. For this evaluation, the "floated"
surface of the concrete coupons was
used. The coupons were approximately
4 centimeters (cm) thick, 15 cm x 15 cm
square, and had a surface finish that was
consistent across all the coupons.
3.1.2 Coupon Contamination
Eight coupons were contaminated by
spiking individually with 2.5 milliliters
(mL) of aqueous solution that contained
0.4 microCurie (|iCi)/mL Cs-137 as a
solution of cesium chloride,
corresponding to an activity level of
approximately 1 |iCi over the 225 square
5

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2
centimeters (cm") surface. Application
of the Cs-137 in an aqueous solution was
justified because even if Cs-137 were
dispersed in a particle form following a
radiological dispersion device (RDD) or
"dirty bomb" event, morning dew or
rainfall would likely occur before the
surfaces could be decontaminated. In
addition, from an experimental
standpoint, it is much easier to apply
liquids, rather than particles,
homogeneously across the surface of the
concrete coupons. The liquid spike was
delivered to each coupon using an
aerosolization technique developed by
INL (under a DARPA/DHS project).
The aerosol delivery device was
constaicted of two syringes. The
plunger and needle were removed from
the first syringe and discarded. Then a
compressed air line was attached to the
rear of the syringe. The second syringe
contained the contaminant solution and
was equipped with a 27 gauge needle,
which penetrated through the plastic
housing near the tip of the first syringe.
Compressed air flowing at a rate of
approximately 1-2 liter (L) per minute
created a turbulent flow through the first
syringe. When the contaminant solution
in the second syringe was introduced, it
became nebulized by the turbulent air
flow. A fine aerosol was ejected from
the tip of the first syringe, creating a
controlled and uniform spray of fine
liquid droplets onto the coupon surface.
The contaminant spray was applied all
the way to the edges of the coupon,
which were taped (after having
previously been sealed with polyester
resin) to ensure that the contaminant was
applied only to the surfaces of the
coupons. The photographs in Figure 3-1
show this procedure being performed
using a nonradioactive, nonhazardous
aqueous dye to demonstrate that the 2.5
mL of contaminant solution is
effectively distributed across the surface
of the coupon.
BBS!
Figure 3-1. Demonstration of contaminant application technique.
3.1.3 Measurement of Activity on
Coupon Surface
Gamma radiation from the surface of
each concrete coupon was measured to
quantify contamination levels both
before and after evaluation of ND-75
and ND-600. These measurements were
made using an intrinsic high purity
germanium detector (Canberra LEGe
Model GL 2825R/S, Meriden, CT).
After being placed in the detector, each
coupon was measured until the average
activity level of Cs-137 from the surface
stabilized to a relative standard deviation
(RSD) of less than 2%. Gamma-ray
spectra acquired from Cs-137
contaminated coupons were analyzed
using INL Radiological Measurement
Laboratory (RML) data acquisition and
spectral analysis programs.
6

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Figure 3-2. Containment tent: outer view (left) and inner view with test stand
containing contaminated coupons with numbered coupon positions (right).
erected within a containment tent. The
concrete coupons were placed into
holders so their surfaces extended just
beyond the surface of the stainless steel
face of the test stand. Eight of the nine
coupons placed in the test stand were
contaminated with Cs-137, which has a
half-life of 30 years. One
uncontaminated coupon was placed in
the bottom row of the test stand (position
8) and decontaminated in the same way
as the other coupons. This coupon,
referred to as the CC blank, was placed
there to observe possible CC caused by
the decontamination higher on the wall.
Figure 3-2 shows the containment tent
and the test stand loaded with the
concrete coupons.
Radionuclide activities on coupons were
calculated based on efficiency, emission
probability, and half-life values. Decay
corrections were made based on the date
and the duration of the counting period.
Full RML gamma counting QA/quality
control (QC), as described in the test/QA
plan, was employed and certified results
were provided.
3.1.4 Surface Construction Using Test
Stand
To evaluate the decontamination
technologies on vertical surfaces
(simulating walls), a stainless steel test
stand that held three rows of three
concrete coupons was used. The test
stand, approximately 2.7 m x 2.7 m, was
3.2 Evaluation Procedures
The eight concrete coupons in the test
stand which had been contaminated
approximately one month before were
decontaminated using either the ND-75
or ND-600. The ND-75 was applied to
the coupons in positions 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8
(blank coupon) and simultaneously, ND-
600 was used on the coupons in
positions 3, 5, 6, and 9. The ND-75 and
ND-600 were applied from top to bottom
to simulate an approach that would
likely be taken in an actual
decontamination event, where higher
wall surfaces would be decontaminated
first because of the possibility of
secondary contamination lower on the
wall.
The ND-75 and ND-600 required no
preparation as they were provided ready
to use. The application of ND-75 and
ND-600 was performed using plastic
spray bottles (32 oz. Heavy Duty Spray
7

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Bottle, Rubbermaid Professional,
Atlanta, GA). During this evaluation,
the initial application of ND-75 took
only a few seconds with 3-4 sprays for
each coupon. The next step was a 30
minute dwell time for the ND-75 to
reside on the surface of the concrete
coupons. The coupon surfaces were
kept damp with 1-2 sprays of additional
ND-75 approximately every five
minutes. After 30 minutes, the surfaces
of the concrete coupons were thoroughly
wetted with deionized water using
another spray bottle and then the water
was removed with a wet vacuum (12
gallon, 4.5 horsepower, QSP® Quiet
Deluxe, Shop-Vac Corporation,
Williamsport, VA) that required about
one minute per coupon. This procedure
was repeated two additional times for a
total elapsed time of just over 90
minutes.
The vendor approved application
procedure for ND-600 was the same as
for ND-75 with two exceptions. First,
following spray application of the ND-
600 to each concrete coupon, the
solution was worked into the surface of
the coupon by scrubbing the entire
surface of the coupon once with a
scouring pad (Heavy Duty Scouring Pad,
3M Scotch-Brite, St. Paul, MN). Then,
instead of a 30 minute dwell time, the
dwell time was 15 minutes. As for ND-
75, the surfaces were kept damp with 1-2
sprays of additional ND-600
approximately every five minutes during
the dwell time. The procedure was also
performed a total of three times on each
coupon for a total elapsed time of just
over 45 minutes. The temperature and
relative humidity (RH) were recorded at
the start and finish. The temperature and
RH were 18 °C (64 °F) and 25% during
the evaluation, respectively. According
to the vendor, these conditions were
acceptable for use of the INTEK
solutions.
The overall decontamination method for
ND-75 and ND-600 included:
1.	Apply decontamination solution
(ND-75 or ND-600) with spray
bottle
2.	For ND-600 only, scrub the
surface with a scouring pad after
application
3.	Allow for 30 minute dwell time
for ND-75 and 15 minute dwell
time for ND-600
4.	Keep the surface damp by
wetting the coupon every 5
minutes with additional 1-2
sprays of the respective
technology
5.	Thoroughly wet surface with
deionized water
6.	Remove liquid with a wet
vacuum by moving over the
surface one time with the open
end of a 1 Vi inch hose flat
against the surface without an
attachment
7.	Repeat steps 1-6 two more times.
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4.0 Quality Assurance/Quality Control
QA/QC procedures were performed in
accordance with the program QMP and
the test/QA plan for this evaluation.
4.1 Intrinsic Germanium Detector
The germanium detector was calibrated
weekly during the overall project. The
calibration was performed in accordance
with standardized procedures from the
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) and the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).2 In
brief, detector energy was calibrated
using thorium (Th)-228 daughter gamma
rays at 238.6, 583.2, 860.6, 1620.7, and
2614.5 kilo electron volts (keV). Table
4-1 shows the calibration results across
the duration of the project. Each row
gives the difference between the known
energy levels and those measured
following calibration (rolling average
across the six most recent calibrations).
Pre-contamination measurements were
performed in late September and the
post-contamination results were
measured in late November. Each row
represents a six week rolling average of
calibration results. In addition, the
energies were compared to the previous
30 calibrations to confirm that the results
were within three standard deviations of
the previous calibration results. All the
calibrations fell within this requirement.
Table 4-1. Calibration Results - Difference from Th-228 Calibration Energies
	Calibration Energy Levels (keV)	
Date Range Energy 1 Energy 2 Energy 3 Energy 4 Energy 5
(2010)	238.632 583.191 860.564 1620.735 2614.533
9-27	to 11-2 -0.003	0.010	-0.039 -0.121 0.017
10-5	to 11-8 -0.003	0.011	-0.029 -0.206 0.023
10-12 to 11-16 -0.004	0.015	-0.040 -0.245 0.031
10-19 to 11-24 -0.005	0.014	-0.001 -0.320 0.043
Gamma ray counting was continued on
each coupon until the activity level of
Cs-137 on the surface had a RSD of less
than 2%. This RSD was achieved during
the first hour of counting for all the
coupons measured during this
evaluation. The final activity assigned to
each coupon was a compilation of
information obtained from all
components of the electronic assemblage
that comprise the "gamma counter,"
including the raw data and the spectral
analysis described in Section 3.1.3. Final
spectra and all data that comprise the
spectra were sent to a data analyst who
independently confirmed the "activity"
number arrived at by the spectroscopist.
When both the spectroscopist and an
expert data analyst independently arrived
at the same value the data were
considered certified. This process
defines the full gamma counting QA
process for certified results.
The background activity of the concrete
coupons was determined by analyzing
four arbitrarily selected coupons from
the stock of concrete coupons used for
this evaluation. The ambient activity
level of these coupons was measured for
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at least two hours. No activity was
detected above the minimum detectable
level of 2x10~4 |iCi on these coupons.
Because the background activity was not
detectable (and the detectable level was
more than 2,500 times lower than the
post-decontamination activity levels), no
background subtraction was required.
Throughout the evaluation, a second
measurement was taken on five coupons
in order to provide duplicate
measurements to evaluate the
repeatability of the instrument. Three of
the duplicate measurements were
performed after contamination prior to
application of the decontamination
technology and two were performed
after decontamination. All five of the
duplicate pairs showed difference in
activity levels of 2% or less, within the
acceptable difference of 5%.
4.2 Audits
4.2.1 Performance Evaluation Audit
RML performed regular checks of the
accuracy of the Th-228 daughter
calibration standards (during the time
when the detector was in use) by
measuring the activity of a National
Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST)-traceable europium (Eu)-152
standard (in units of Becquerel, BQ) and
comparing it to the accepted NIST value.
Results within 7% of the NIST value are
considered (according to RML internal
quality control procedures) to be within
acceptable limits. The Eu-152 activity
comparison is a routine QC activity
performed by INL, but for the purposes
of this evaluation serves as the
performance evaluation (PE) audit. This
audit confirms the accuracy of the
calibration of the germanium detector
instrumentation critical to the results of
the evaluation. Table 4-2 gives the
results of each of the audits applicable to
the duration of the evaluation including
the pre-decontamination measurements
performed in late September. All results
are below the acceptable difference of
7%.
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Table 4-2. NIST-Traceable Eu-152 Activity Standard Check	
NIST Activity INL RML Relative Percent
Date	(BQ)	Result (BQ)	Difference
9-15-201	0	124,600	122,000	2%
10-13-201	0	124,600	123,100	1%
11-10-201	0	124,600	121,600	2%
4.2.2	Technical Systems Audit
A TSA was conducted during testing at
INL to ensure that the evaluation was
performed in accordance with the
test/QA plan. As part of the audit, the
actual evaluation procedures were
compared with those specified in the
test/QA plan and the data acquisition and
handling procedures were reviewed. No
significant adverse findings were noted
in this audit. The records concerning the
TSA are stored indefinitely with the
Contractor QA Manager.
4.2.3	Data Quality Audit
At least 10% of the raw data acquired
during the evaluation and transcribed
into spreadsheets for use in the final
report was verified by the QA manager.
The data were traced from the initial raw
data collection, through reduction and
statistical analysis, to final reporting, to
ensure the integrity of the reported
results.
4.3 QA/QC Reporting
Each assessment and audit was
documented in accordance with the
test/QA plan. Draft assessment reports
were prepared and sent to the Test
Coordinator and Program Manager for
review and approval. Final assessment
reports were then sent to the EPA QA
Manager and contractor staff.
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5.0 Evaluation Results
5.1 Decontamination Efficacy
The decontamination efficacy of the
ND-75 and ND-600 was measured for
each contaminated coupon in terms of
percent removal (%R) and
decontamination factor (DF). Both of
these measurements provide a means of
representing the extent of
decontamination accomplished by a
technology. The %R gives the extent as
a percent relative to the activity and the
DF is the ratio of the initial activity to
the final activity or the factor by which
the activity was decreased. These terms
are defined by the following equations:
%R = (1-Af/Ao) x 100%
DF = Ao/Af
where, A0 is the radiological activity
from the surface of the coupon before
application of ND-75 or ND-600 and Af
is radiological activity from the surface
of the coupon after treatment. While the
DFs are reported, the narrative
describing the results focuses on the %R.
Tables 5-1 and 5-2 give the %R and DF
for ND-75 and ND-600, respectively.
All coupons were oriented vertically.
The target activity for each of the
contaminated coupons (pre-
decontamination) was within the
acceptable range of 1 |iCi ± 0.5 |iCi.
The overall average (plus or minus one
standard deviation) of the contaminated
coupons was 1.12 |iCi ± 0.047 |iCi and
1.08 |iCi ± 0.035 |iCi for the coupons
used for ND-75 and ND-600,
respectively. The post-decontamination
coupon activities were less than the pre-
decontamination activities showing an
overall reduction in activity for both
technologies. For ND-75, the %R
averaged 47% ± 6% and the DF
averaged 1.9 ± 0.22. Overall, the %R
ranged from 41% to 54% and the DF
ranged from 1.7 to 2.2. For ND-600, the
%R averaged 52 ± 12% and the DF
averaged 2.1 ± 0.44. Overall, the %R
ranged from 35% to 61% and the DF
ranged from 1.5 to 2.6. The four
coupons decontaminated with ND-600
had one coupon (bottom right) that
appeared to be a slight outlier compared
to the other three coupons. There was
no explanation for this result. A t-test
was performed on the two data sets in
order to determine the likelihood of
generating the observed %R data if the
data sets were not different. The
probability of generating these data sets
if the data sets were not significantly
different was 0.295 so at a 95%
confidence interval, the ND-75 and ND-
600 were not considered significantly
different from one another.
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Table 5-1. Decontamination Efficacy Results for ND-75
Coupon




Location in
Pre-Decon Activity
Post-Decon Activity


Test Stand
(jiCi / Coupon)
(jiCi / Coupon)
%R
DF
Top left
1.17
0.53
54%
2.2
Top middle
1.14
0.59
48%
1.9
Center left
1.11
0.63
43%
1.8
Bottom left
1.06
0.63
41%
1.7
Average
1.12
0.60
47%
1.9
Std. Dev
0.047
0.04
6%
0.22
Table 5-2. Decontamination Efficacy Results for ND-600
Coupon




Location in
Pre-Decon Activity
Post-Decon Activity


Test Stand
(jiCi / Coupon)
(jiCi / Coupon)
%R
DF
Top right
1.13
0.44
61%
2.6
Center middle
1.05
0.48
55%
2.2
Center right
1.07
0.47
56%
2.3
Bottom right
1.07
0.70
35%
1.5
Average
1.08
0.52
52%
2.1
Std. Dev
0.035
0.12
12%
0.44
As described above in Section 3.1, the
CC blank was included in the test stand
to evaluate the potential for CC due to
application of ND-75 andND-600 on
wall locations above the placement of
the uncontaminated coupon. ND-75 was
applied to the CC blank using the same
method as for the other coupons. After
decontamination, the activity of the CC
blank was found to be 0.0224 |iCi. This
value was about 10 times greater than
the minimum detectable level, but more
than 25 times less than the post-
decontamination activities of the
contaminated coupons. Therefore, this
result suggested that cross-
contamination resulting from the
application of the ND-75 and ND-600
was detectable, but to a minimal extent.
Assuming that the ND-75 attained a 47
%R on the CC blank, this residual
activity of 0.0224 |iCi would correspond
to a pre-decontamination activity of
0.048 |iCi, consistent with
approximately 5% of the activity from
the coupon located above. The liquid
nature of the decontamination solutions
facilitates flow of contamination down
the side of the test stand. However, it is
likely that the ND-75 and ND-600
solutions would not flow as easily down
the side of an actual concrete wall as was
the case for the stainless steel test stand,
mitigating concerns about cross-
contamination.
5.2 Deployment and Operational
Factors
A number of operational factors were
documented by the technician who
performed the testing with the ND-75
and ND-600. One of the factors was the
degree of difficulty in application. The
application of ND-75 and ND-600 was
described in Section 3.2 and included
use of plastic spray bottles. Figure 5-1
shows a photograph of the application of
ND-75 or ND-600 to a concrete coupon
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and the corresponding vacuum removal.
The personal protective equipment
(PPE) used by the technician in the
picture was required because the work
was performed in a radiological
contamination area using Cs-137 on the
concrete coupon surfaces. Whenever
radioactive contaminated material is
handled, anti-contamination PPE will be
required and any waste will be
considered low level radioactive waste
(and will need to be disposed of
accordingly). The required PPE was not
driven by the use of the INTEK
solutions (which are not hazardous),
rather the interaction with surfaces
contaminated with Cs-137.
Figure 5-1. Application and removal of ND-75 or ND-600.
Table 5-3 summarizes qualitative and quantitative practical information gained by the
technician during the evaluation of the ND-75 and ND-600. All of the operational
information was gathered during use of the ND-75 and ND-600 on the concrete coupons
inserted into the test stand. Some of the information given in Table 5-3 could differ if the
ND-75 and ND-600 were applied to a larger surface or to a surface that was smoother or
more rough and jagged than the concrete coupons used during this evaluation.
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Table 5-3. Operational Factors Gathered from the Evaluation
Parameter
Description/Information
Decontamination
rate
Technology Preparation: ND-75 and ND-600 were supplied ready to use.
Application: ND-75 and ND-600 were applied to each concrete coupon using a
plastic spray bottle (total applications time of just a few seconds). ND-75
required a 30 minute dwell time before rinse and wet vacuum removal. This
procedure was performed three times for a total elapsed time of just over 90
minutes. For ND-600, the dwell time (following a brief scrubbing) was 15
minutes and the procedure was also performed three times for a total elapsed
time of just over 45 minutes.
Estimated volumes used across all the concrete coupons included 0.6 L of ND-
75 and 0.3 L ND-600. Overall those volumes correspond to solution
requirements of 3 L/square meter (m2) for the ND-75 and 1.5 L/m2 ND-600.
Applicability to
irregular surfaces
Application to irregular surfaces would not seem to be problematic as ND-75
and ND-600 are sprayed into hard to reach locations. Removal may be
difficult if vacuuming jagged edges or gaps is required.
Skilled labor
requirement
Adequate training would likely include a few minutes of orientation so the
technician is familiar with the application technique. Larger surfaces may
required more complex equipment such as sprayer application and larger scale
vacuum removal.
Utilities
requirement
As evaluated here, electricity was required to operate the wet vacuum.
Extent of portability
At a scale similar to that used for this evaluation, vacuum removal would be
the only portability factor. However, for larger scale applications, limiting
factors would include the ability to apply the ND-75 and ND-600 at an
adequate scale (including scrubbing surface for ND-600) and then rinse and
remove with a vacuum. Portable electrical generation or vacuum capability
may be required.
Secondary waste
management
A total of 0.5 L of ND-75 and 0.5 L of ND-600 was applied to the concrete
coupons used during this evaluation. That volume corresponds to a waste
generation rate of approximately 5 L/m2 depending on how much of the
solutions absorb to the surfaces. Because Cs-137 was used for this testing, all
waste (in vacuum) was disposed of as low level radioactive waste. In the
absence of radioactivity, ND-75 and ND-600 may not be discharged to U.S.
waters so require solidification and landfill disposal or chemical oxidation.
Surface damage
Concrete surfaces appeared undamaged.
Cost (material)
The material cost is $0.33 per liter for the ND-75 and $1.52 for the ND-600.
Corresponds to approximately $l/m2 for ND-75 and $2/m2 ND-600. Labor and
waste management costs were not calculated.
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6.0 Performance Summary
This section presents the findings from
the evaluation of the ND-75 and ND-600
for each performance parameter
evaluated.
6.1	Decontamination Efficacy
The decontamination efficacy (in terms
of %R) attained for the three
applications, as recommended by the
manufacturer, of ND-75 and ND-600
was evaluated for each concrete coupon
used during the evaluation. When the
decontamination efficacy metrics (%R
and DF) of the four contaminated
coupons for each decontamination were
averaged together, the average %R for
ND-75 was 47% ± 6% and the average
DF was 1.9 + 0.22. The average %R for
ND-600 was 52% ± 12% and the
average DF was 2.1 ±0.44.
6.2	Deployment and Operational
Factors
The application of ND-75 and ND-600
included use of plastic spray bottles.
Application of the ND-75 solution to
each coupon took very little time (just a
few seconds) in relation to the
recommended dwell time of 30 minutes
prior to rinsing by spraying with the
deionized water and wet vacuum
removal (approximately 30 seconds per
coupon). This procedure was repeated
two additional times so the total time
elapsed for the five coupons
decontaminated with ND-75 was just
over 90 minutes.
The application procedure for ND-600
was the same as for ND-75 with two
exceptions. First, following spray
application of the ND-600 to each
concrete coupon, the solution was
worked into the surface of the coupon by
scrubbing the entire surface of the
coupon once with a ScotchBrite pad.
Then, instead of a 30 minute dwell time,
the dwell time was 15 minutes. The
procedure was also performed a total of
three times on each coupon for a total
elapsed time of just over 45 minutes.
The waste generated through use of the
ND-75 and ND-600 was estimated to be
approximately 5-10 L/m and because of
the use of Cs-137 during this evaluation,
was considered low level radioactive
waste. As used for this evaluation,
electricity was used to operate the wet
vacuum. Scaled up applications in
remote locations may require additional
utilities to provide means for sprayer and
larger scale vacuum removal. Minimal
training would be required for
technicians using the ND-75 and ND-
600, and the surface of the concrete was
not visibly damaged during use of the
ND-75 and ND-600. The cost is $0.33
per liter for the ND-75 and $1.52 for the
ND-600, which, corresponds to
approximately $l/m2 for ND-75 and
$2/m2 ND-600. Labor and waste
management costs would be dependent
on the particular physical characteristics
of the area being decontaminated and so
were not calculated.
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7.0 References
1. ASTM Standard C 150-07,
"Standard Specification for Portland
Cement." ASTM International, West
Conshohocken, PA, www.astm.org.
2007.
2. Calibration and Use of Germanium
Spectrometers for the Measurement
of Gamma Emission Rates of
Radionuclides. American National
Standards Institute. ANSIN42.14-
1999. IEEE New York, NY (Rev.
2004).
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SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
PRESORTED STANDARD
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT NO. G-35
Office of Research and Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300

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