Research Professor Emeritus, Washington State University Tri-Cities, Richland, WA.
Medical University of South Carolina, 36 South Battery, Charleston, SC 29401.
Health Phys. 2022 Aug 1;123(2):99-115. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001563. Epub 2022 May 4.
There are several important radionuclides involved in the "clean-up" or environmental isolation of nuclear waste contained in US Department of Energy Hanford Site underground waste tanks that drive many of the decisions associated with this activity. To make proper human health risk analyses and ensure that the most appropriate decisions are made, it is important to understand the radiation biology and the human health risk associated with these radionuclides. This manuscript provides some basic radiological science, in particular radiation biology, for some of these radionuclides, i.e., 3 H, 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 99 Tc, 129 I, and the alpha emitters 239, 240 Pu, 233,234,235,238 U, and 241 Am. These radionuclides were selected based on their designation as "constituents of potential concern," historical significance, or potential impact on human health risk. In addition to the radiobiology of these select radionuclides, this manuscript provides brief discussions of the estimated cost of planned management of Hanford tank waste and a comparison with releases into the Techa River from activities associated with the Mayak Production Association. A set of summary conclusions of the potential human health risks associated with these radionuclides is given.
有几个重要的放射性核素参与了美国能源部汉福德地下废物罐中核废料的“清理”或环境隔离，这些核素驱动着与该活动相关的许多决策。为了进行适当的人类健康风险分析并确保做出最合适的决策，了解这些放射性核素的辐射生物学和人类健康风险非常重要。本文提供了一些这些放射性核素的基本放射科学知识，特别是辐射生物学知识，这些放射性核素包括 3 H、90 Sr、137 Cs、99 Tc、129 I 和α发射体 239、240 Pu、233、234、235、238 U 和 241 Am。这些放射性核素是根据它们被指定为“潜在关注的成分”、历史意义或对人类健康风险的潜在影响而选择的。除了这些选定放射性核素的放射生物学外，本文还简要讨论了计划管理汉福德罐废物的估计成本，并与与 Mayak 生产协会相关活动导致的 Techa 河排放进行了比较。本文还给出了与这些放射性核素相关的潜在人类健康风险的一系列总结性结论。
