The INL site is situated in a large agricultural
area that produces many food products. The ESER Team monitors the following
foods for potential migration and deposition of effluents from the INL.
These foods were chosen for their abundance in the upper Snake River valley and
their availability for testing.
Lettuce
Lettuce samples are obtained from
private gardens in communities in the vicinity of the INL.
Samples are washed to remove soil (as in normal food preparation),
dried, reduced to a powdered form and weighed. All lettuce
samples are analyzed for Strontium-90 and gamma-emitting
radionuclides.
The collection of lettuce from home gardens around the INL
typically depends on availability. To make this sampling more
reliable, ESER added two prototype lettuce planters in conjunction
with other sampling locations at Atomic City and the Experimental
Field Station (EFS) on the INL. These locations are relatively
remote and have no access to water, requiring that a self-watering
system be developed. This method allows for the placement and
collection of lettuce at areas previously unavailable to the
public (i.e., on the INL). The boxes are set out in the spring
with the lettuce grown from seed. This new method also allows for
the accumulation of deposited radionuclides on the plant surface
throughout the growth cycle.
Potatoes
Potato samples are collected from
storage warehouses in the INL vicinity. The samples, with
cleaned skins included, are processed and weighed. All
potato samples are analyzed from Strontium-90 and gamma-emitting
radionuclides.
Wheat
Wheat samples are collected from
grain elevators in the region surrounding the INL. All
wheat samples are analyzed for Strontium-90 and gamma-emitting
radionuclides.
