Fourth Quarter 2006
INL Quarterly Site Environmental Report
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The ESER Quality Assurance Program consists of five ongoing tasks which measure:
The following discussion briefly summarizes the results of the quality assurance program for the period from October 1 to December 31, 2006.
The Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) establishes data quality and method quality objectives for the ESER surveillance program (Stoller 2007). Since the primary concern is with detection, the lower bound for the method uncertainty is set at zero. The upper bound is defined by the ESER program as the maximum concentration for the range of data over the past ten years, excepting those values determined to be extremes using box plots generated by a statistical data program. Each individual result is checked for acceptance on the basis of the result, whether it is below the lower limit (i.e., a negative value), greater than the upper limit, or between the lower and upper limit (the most common occurrence). The calculated method uncertainty is then compared to the 1s measured uncertainty. A sample is deemed acceptable when the measured 1s uncertainty is less than the calculated uncertainty. The upper bound values were recently re-evaluated and revised. Preliminary results indicate that more calculated method uncertainties for detected results were acceptable. In the fourth quarter of 2006, approximately 97.2 percent of method uncertainties were in the acceptable categories.
The Quality Assurance Project Plan specifies a 98 percent completeness goal for all regularly scheduled sample types. This goal does not include variable sample types such as game animals and precipitation, where the ability to produce a sample is not controllable. Data completeness for sample collection and delivery was 100 percent during the fourth quarter for all samples types with the following exceptions.
One paper air filter from Craters of the Moon during the week of November 8 was found to missing from the filter head upon return to the office. The completeness of the air filter data set is therefore 99.6 percent for the fourth quarter.
The following results were lost in analysis during the fourth quarter: one Pu-238 result in air, one Pu-239/240 result in air, 1 Am-241 result in waterfowl and three Pu-239/240 results in waterfowl.
The ESER obtains spike samples from the Department of Energy’s Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory, which prepares the spikes and issues data reports with the results. Some spikes are also obtained from private vendors, such as Analytics and Environmental Resource Associates, who provide a certificate of analysis with the sample. During the fourth quarter of 2006, data were obtained for the following spikes:
|
Constituent |
ERA Activity (pCi/L ± 1σ ) |
EAL Activity (pCi/L ± 1σ) |
Percent Deviation |
Agreement? |
|
Iodine-131 |
10.0 ± 1.7 |
7.12 ± 1.87 |
-28.8 |
No |
|
Note: Subsequent recounts indicated activities of 10.1 (+1.0%) and 9.62 (-3.8%) pCi/L. |
||||
|
Note: Activities are as of 10/3/06. |
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The QAP program was discontinued following the March 2004 distribution. Performance evaluation samples are now prepared through the Mixed Analyte Performance Evaluation Program (MAPEP), administered by the Department of Energy’s Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory. DOE has mandated that all laboratories performing analyses in support of the Office of Environmental Management shall participate in MAPEP. The program distributes samples of air, water, vegetation and soil for analysis in approximately January and June. Both radiological and nonradiological constituents are included in the program.
Both the Idaho State University EAL and Teledyne Brown Engineering
participated in the MAPEP Study reported in November 2006. Results are tabulated
below for those analyses performed by each laboratory. (A = Acceptable, W =
Acceptable with warning, N = Not acceptable)
Table 6. MAPEP Results for November 2006
Idaho State University Environmental Assessment Laboratory
Matrix: Air (Bq)
Analyte
EAL Result
MAPEP Result
Bias (percent)
Acceptable Range
Evaluation
Cesium-134
2.9
3.147
-7.8
2.20-4.09
A
Cesium-137
1.8
1.805
-0.3
1.26-2.35
A
Cobalt-57
2.6
2.582
0.7
1.81-3.36
A
Cobalt-60
1.6
1.577
1.5
1.10-2.05
A
Manganese-54
2.0
1.92
4.2
1.34-2.5
A
Gross alpha
0.08
0.290
-72.4
0.0-0.580
A
Gross beta
0.34
0.359
-5.3
0.180-0.538
A
Matrix: Water (Bq/L)
Cesium-134
97.9
112.82
-13.2
78.97-146.66
A
Cesium-137
193.6
196.14
-1.3
137.30-254.98
A
Cobalt-57
209.3
213.08
-1.8
149.16-277.00
A
Cobalt-60
47.7
47.5
0.4
33.2-61.8
A
Tritium
401.4
428.85
-6.4
300.20-557.50
A
Gross alpha
0.45
1.033
-56.4
0.0-2.066
A
Gross beta
1.05
1.03
1.9
0.52-1.54
A
Matrix: Soil (Bq/kg)
Cesium-134
530.1
452.13
17.2
316.49-587.77
A
Cesium-137
687.5
525.73
30.8
368.01-683.45
N
Cobalt-57
845.6
676.33
25.0
473.43-879.23
W
Manganese-54
791.1
594.25
33.1
415.98-772.52
N
Potassium-40
955.9
604
58.3
423-785
N
Zinc-65
1214.9
903.61
34.5
632.53-1174.69
N
Matrix: Vegetation (Bq)
Cesium-134
7.06
7.487
-5.7
5.24-9.73
A
Cesium-137
5.71
5.495
3.9
3.85-7.14
A
Cobalt-60
5.82
5.806
0.2
4.06-7.55
A
Manganese-54
8.28
8.351
-0.9
5.85-10.86
A
Zinc-65
6.30
5.984
5.3
4.19-7.78
A
Teledyne Brown Engineering
Matrix: Air (Bq)
Analyte
TBE Result
MAPEP Result
Bias (%)
Acceptable Range
Evaluation
Americium-241
0.124
0.142
-12.7
0.10-0.18
A
Cesium-134
2.62
3.147
-16.7
2.20-4.09
A
Cesium-137
1.98
1.805
9.7
1.26-2.35
A
Cobalt-57
2.65
2.582
2.6
1.81-3.36
A
Cobalt-60
1.63
1.577
3.4
1.10-2.05
A
Manganese-54
2.10
1.92
9.4
1.34-2.50
A
Plutonium-238
.0123
0.118
4.2
0.08-0.15
A
Plutonium-239/240
8.22e-3
--a
A
Strontium-90
0.549
0.62
-11.5
0.43-0.81
A
Uranium-234/233
0.140
0.134
4.5
0.09-0.17
A
Uranium-238
0.136
0.139
-2.2
0.10-0.18
A
Zinc-65
-0.163
--a
A
Gross Alpha
0.134
0.290
-53.8
0.0-0.580
A
Gross Beta
0.358
0.359
-0.3
0.180-0.538
A
Matrix: Water (Bq/L)
Americium-241
2.09
2.31
-9.5
1.62-3.00
A
Cesium-134
99.8
112.82
-11.5
78.97-146.66
A
Cesium-137
191
196.14
-2.6
137.30-254.98
A
Cobalt-57
203
213.08
-4.7
149.16-277.00
A
Cobalt-60
46.2
47.5
-2.7
33.2-61.8
A
Tritium
471
428.85
9.8
300.20-557.50
A
Iron-55
173
165.4
4.6
115.8-215.0
A