ORAU Team

Dose Reconstruction Project for NIOSH

Pinellas Plant – Occupational Environmental Dose

Document Number:

ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 

Effective Date: 04/05/2005

Revision No.: 00

Controlled Copy No.: ______

Page 1 of 29

Subject Experts: Milton Gorden and Amir S. Mobasheran 

Document Owner

Approval: Signature on File Date: 03/25/2005

Mark D. Notich, TBD Team Leader

Approval: Signature on File Date: 03/30/2005

Judson L. Kenoyer, Task 3 Manager

Concurrence: Signature on File Date: 03/28/2005

Richard E. Toohey, Project Director

Approval: Signature on File Date: 04/05/2005

James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

Supersedes:

None

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS..........................................................................................................

Page

3

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................4

4.0 OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL DOSE ...............................................................................5

4.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5

4.1.1 Employee Monitoring .........................................................................................................5

4.1.2 Detection and Measurement of Airborne Effluents ............................................................5

4.1.2.1 Stack Emissions ..................................................................................................5

4.1.2.2 Retention Pond Emissions ..................................................................................6

4.1.3 Mode of Exposure to Airborne Effluents ............................................................................6

4.1.4 Exhaust Stacks and Releases ...........................................................................................7

4.1.5 Tritium Releases from the North-east Retention Pond ....................................................10

4.2 INTAKES FROM ONSITE ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION CONCENTRATIONS........................ 11

4.2.1 Maximum Onsite Intake Determination............................................................................11

4.2.2 Determination of the Maximum Onsite Intake due to Emissions from the 

North-east Retention Pond .............................................................................................13

4.3 EXTERNAL DOSE...................................................................................................................... 13

4.3.1 External Dose from Stack Emissions ...............................................................................13
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4.3.2 Plutonium Releases to Air – Onsite Monitoring................................................................15

4.3.3 Ambient Natural Environmental Dose..............................................................................17

4.4 UNCERTAINTY .......................................................................................................................... 17

REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................................18

GLOSSARY..........................................................................................................................................20

APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................................22

4.4.1 A-1 Computer Model and Meteorological Data................................................................22

4.4.2 A-2 Calculation Assumptions ...........................................................................................23

4.4.3 A-3 Air Deposition Concentration within the Plant Boundary ...........................................23

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1.4-1 Location of Exhaust Stacks......................................................................................... 8

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1.4-1 Exhaust Stacks, Their Dimensions, and Their Radionuclide Releases....................... 7

Table 4.1.4-2 Radionuclides Released From Pinellas Plant Stacks ................................................. 8

Table 4.1.5-1 Tritium Concentrations in the North-east Retention Pond......................................... 10

Table 4.2.4-1 Number of Becquerels of Each Radionuclide Inhaled Each Year by a MEE from 

Stack Emissions........................................................................................................12

Table 4.3.1-1 Total Annual External Dose to a MEE Due to Stack Emissionsa .............................. 14

Table 4.3.2-1 Perimeter Plutonium Air Samples ............................................................................. 16

Table A-1 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3) as a Function of Distance and Direction to 

Source (30-m-high-stack case)................................................................................. 25

Table A-2 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3) as a Function of Distance and Direction to 

Source (21-m-high-stack case)................................................................................. 26

Table A-3 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3

) as a Function of Distance and Direction to 

Source (6.4-m-high-stack case)................................................................................ 27

Table A-4a Annual Releases, for 1957 to June 1981 .................................................................. 28

Table A-4b Annual Releases for July 1981 to 1994 .................................................................... 29
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RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

ISSUE 

AUTHORIZATION 

DATE

EFFECTIVE 

DATE

REV. 

NO. DESCRIPTION

Draft 12/09/2004 00-A New technical basis document for Pinellas Plant –

Occupational Environmental Dose. Initiated by 

Mark D. Notich.

Draft 01/19/2005 00-B Incorporates internal review comments. Initiated 

by Mark D. Notich.

Draft 03/21/2005 00-C Incorporates NIOSH review comments. Initiated 

by Mark D. Notich.

04/05/2005 04/05/2005 00 First approved issue. Initiated by Mark D. Notich.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 4 of 29

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

AEC U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

Bq becquerel

Ci curie 

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

g gram

JFD joint frequency distribution

keV kilovolt-electron, 1,000 electron volts

L liter

m meter

MEE maximally exposed employee

ml milliliter

mrem millirem

pCi picocurie

RTG radioisotopic thermoelectric generator

Sv sievert

TBD technical basis document

U.S.C. United States Code

yr year

μCi microcurie 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 5 of 29

4.0 OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL DOSE

4.1 INTRODUCTION

Technical Basis Documents (TBDs) and Site Profile Documents are general working documents that 

provide guidance concerning the preparation of dose reconstructions at particular sites or categories 

of sites. They will be revised in the event additional relevant information is obtained about the affected 

site(s). These documents may be used to assist the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health in the completion of the individual work required for each dose reconstruction.

In this document the word “facility” is used as a general term for an area, building, or group of 

buildings that served a specific purpose at a site. It does not necessarily connote an “atomic weapons 

employer facility” or a “Department of Energy facility” as defined in the Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. Sections 7384l(5) and (12)). 

This TBD provides historical environmental dose information for the Pinellas Plant workers about

onsite exposure to the plant’s radiological releases to air and ambient conditions. The information is 

based on the available literature on the site, which consists primarily of environmental monitoring 

reports and site environmental reports published between 1971 and 1995. No records could be found 

to demonstrate that environmental dose monitoring was conducted on the site, such as with 

environmental thermoluminescent dosimeters. Because of the apparent lack of an environmental 

dosimetry program that focused on monitoring workers, the environmental doses in this TBD have 

been estimated using an appropriate computer model and claimant-favorable assumptions. 

4.1.1

An external dosimetry program was started in 1957 to monitor individual personnel working in the 

production areas for the neutron generators. From 1960 to 1973, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 

(AEC) annual exposure summary reports showed that Pinellas had 27.5% of its workers wearing 

dosimetry. In the 1980s, approximately 10% to 14% of workers were monitored for radiation dose. 

This percentage range appears to be representative of the entire history of monitoring at the Pinellas 

Plant (no documentation was found that shows all employees were monitored during any given

period). Only employees that performed activities that could have caused them to obtain doses 

greater than radiation protection guidelines were monitored. A smaller percentage of employees were 

monitored for internal exposures. Therefore, a majority of employees could have received 

environmental doses that were not monitored because they did not wear external dosimetry or were 

not monitored for internal dose.

Employee Monitoring

4.1.2

4.1.2.1 Stack Emissions

Detection and Measurement of Airborne Effluents

Because of the differing physical and radiological properties of airborne effluents (tritium gas, tritium 

oxide, and krypton gas), the systems necessary to detect and measure them have different 

requirements. Air samples were drawn through Kanne type ionization chambers connected to pico 

ammeters to analyze tritium gas and krypton gas (minimum detection limit of 6.4E-6 μCi/ml) (IT/ 

Radiological Sciences Laboratory, 1986). To analyze tritium oxide, water vapor in the sample stream 

was condensed by a refrigeration device and the liquid counted by liquid scintillation spectrometry. 

Stack effluents were continuously sampled and recorded and water vapor condensate was 

continuously collected and analyzed daily (AEC, 1972). In later years, silica gel columns were used to 

collect the tritium oxide which was then desorbed from the silica columns and counted on the liquid 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 6 of 29

scintillation counters. Plutonium was analyzed with resin separation, chemical separation and 

electroplating with counting performed with alpha spectrometry. C-14 was analyzed with liquid 

scintillation. 

4.1.2.2 Retention Pond Emissions

From 1957 through 1973, drain lines containing liquid industrial effluent were directed to an on-site 

acid neutralization facility and from there to the 3,250,000 gallon north-east retention pond (AEC, 

1974). From 1974 to December 1, 1982, the industrial effluent was combined with the sanitary waste 

effluent in the 2,600,000 gallon west lake where the wastewater was aerated and pumped to a nineacre spray irrigation field. A drain system collected water from the irrigation field and sent it to the east 

retention basin for subsequent release to a county drainage ditch located off-site. Beginning on 

December 1, 1982, all sanitary and industrial liquid discharges were sent to the Pinellas County 

publicly owned treatment works although storm water continued to be diverted to the retention pond 

where trace quantities of tritium remained (DOE, 1983b). Liquid samples were taken from the northeast retention pond where the pond discharges to the drainage ditch. Tritium was the only 

radionuclide discharged through this pathway. Tritium results prior to 1983 were referenced to the 

standards set forth in the Rules of the Florida State Board of Health, Chapter 170J-1, Control of 

Radiation Hazards, and in the AEC Manual Chapter 0524, Standards for Radiation Protection (AEC, 

1973). Sampling results were recorded in the annual environmental reports in terms of μCi/ml. After 

1982, all samples were analyzed in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the 

Examination of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association, 

American Water Works Association, and Water Pollution Control Federation (DOE, 1983b).

4.1.3

Most of the radioactivity released to the atmosphere from the stacks was due to tritium and 85Kr. 

Tritium emits very low energy beta particles, and 85Kr emits high-energy beta particles. The exposure 

pathways for these radionuclides are briefly explained below. 

Mode of Exposure to Airborne Effluents

Tritium was the primary radionuclide used at the Pinellas Plant. While it can exist in all compounds 

that contain normal hydrogen, two of the more common forms are (1) tritium gas, and (2) tritium oxide 

in either the liquid or the vapor state. With a physical half-life of 12.3 yr, tritium emits low-energy beta 

particles and decays to 3

He. The emitted beta particles have a maximum energy of 18.6 keV and an 

average energy of 5.7 keV. The emitted beta particles, because of their very low energy, lack 

penetrability and result in no radiation dose from external exposure. Therefore, tritium only contributes 

to internal dose (DOE, 1995a). The specific activity of isotopically pure tritium is 9,620 Ci/g 

(IT/Radiological Sciences Laboratory, 1986).

In comparison to tritium gas, tritium oxide (which readily exchanges with the body’s water) is greater 

than 10,000 times more biologically reactive. However, because the body readily excretes water, 

tritium oxide has a biological half-life of 4 to 18 days. Biological half-life is the time it takes for half of 

the tritium to be eliminated from the body through both excretion and radioactive decay (DOE, 1995a).

Krypton-85, which exists only in the gaseous state, has a specific activity of 393 Ci/g and a half-life of 

10.7 yr. Its most common decay (99.57%) is by beta particle emission with maximum energy of 687 

keV and an average energy of 251 keV. Its alternative decay scheme (0.43%) is by beta particle 

emission (maximum energy of 173 keV) followed by gamma ray emission (energy of 514 keV) 

(IT/Radiological Sciences Laboratory, 1986). 
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Small quantities of 14C labeled solvents were used in a laboratory testing operation in Building 100 

from 1979 to 1983. Because 14C emits a low-energy beta particle, radiation doses result primarily from 

internal deposition (DOE, 1983a).

The tritium oxide released to the retention pond would naturally evaporate into the atmosphere at the 

same rate as the water and become a possible internal source of exposure to a worker working 

adjacent to the retention pond. The retention pond is located a short distance away from other 

Pinellas Plant facilities and there was no known reason why any workers would be near the retention 

pond except to conduct monitoring of the pond.

4.1.4

Exhaust stacks were the primary source for gaseous radiological release to the environment. Table 

4.1.4-1 lists the stacks along with their locations, dimensions, and nature of releases. Figure 4.1.4-1 

shows the location of the emission points at the Pinellas Plant.

Exhaust Stacks and Releases

By 1992, approximately 82% of the total releases had occurred during the first 4 yr of operation, 1957 

through 1960. Table 4.1.4-2 lists the radionuclide releases from Pinellas Plant exhaust stacks (AEC, 

1972; 1973; 1974; ERDA, 1975; 1976; 1977; DOE, 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; 1983b; 1984; 

1985; 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989; 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995b).

As indicated in Table 4.1.4-1, mainly tritium gas and tritium oxide, and to a relatively lesser degree 

85Kr, comprised the radiological contents of the exhausts from the Pinellas Plant stacks. Pinellas 

began using 85Kr for leak detection in 1963 (Burkhart, 1990). Relatively small contributions of 14C to 

the overall air releases were reported for 1979 to 1983, as indicated in Table 4.1.4-2. 

Table 4.1.4-1 Exhaust Stacks, Their Dimensions, and Their Radionuclide Releases

Name Location Height, m (ft) Diameter, m (ft) Nature of Exhaust

Building 100 Main Stack

(East Main Stack)

East of 

Building 

100

30.48 (100)

21.34 (70)(1)

2.44 (8)(7) Tritium gas, tritium oxide, 

and krypton-85 gas.

Building 100 Laboratory 

Stack

(West Main Stack)

West of 

Building 

100

30.48(100) 1.52 (5)(7) Tritium gas and tritium 

oxide. During 1979 through 

1983, also C-14. 

Building 800 Stack

(Accelerator Facility Stack)

Building 

800

6.4 (21)(2)

6.4 (21)(3)(7)

9.1 (30)(4)

0.25 x 0.33(3)(7)

(10/12 x 13/12)

0.51 (1.67)(5)

Tritium gas and tritium 

oxide.

Building 200 Stack Building 

200

17.7 (~ 58)(6) 0.30 (1)

(4) Tritium gas and tritium 

oxide.

(1) In July 1981, the stack was reduced to this height to provide more stability in the event of hurricane force winds (DOE,

1982).

(2) The first release from this stack occurred in 1980 (DOE, 1982).

(3) In October 1981, modifications were made that resulted in changes in the volume of air exhausted and in the 

configuration of the exhaust stack (DOE, 1982, DOE, 1984, and DOE, 1989).

(4) DOE, 1991.

(5) State of Florida, 1994. 

(6) Discharge from the Building 200 exhaust stack appeared in literature for 1989 for the first time (DOE, 1990).

(7) DOE, 1984; DOE, 1989.
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Figure 4.1.4-1 Location of Exhaust Stacks

Table 4.1.4-2 Radionuclides Released From Pinellas Plant Stacks

Year Tritium 

Gas (Ci/yr)

Tritium 

Oxide (Ci/yr)

Krypton85 (Ci/yr)Carbon-14

(Ci/yr)(1)

Additional Information

1957 6660 140 NR(2) NR See Note 1.

1958 31920 580 NR NR

1959 41070 1330 NR NR

1960 6265 435 NR NR

1961 504 306 NR NR

1962 611 249 NR NR

1963 179 103 4 NR In 1963, Kr-85 began to be used for leak 

detection in Building 100 (Burkhart, 1990) 

and presumably exhausted through the 

Building 100 Main Stack (East Main Stack).

1964 233 57 47 NR

1965 50 100 153 NR

1966 325 385 49 NR

1967 1994 213 70 NR

1968 1586 215 202 NR

1969 3275 297 55 NR
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Year Tritium 

Gas (Ci/yr)

Tritium 

Oxide (Ci/yr)

Krypton85 (Ci/yr)Carbon-14

(Ci/yr)(1)

Additional Information

1970 587 465 44 NR

1971 694 374 12 NR Building 100 Main Stack and Building 100 

Laboratory Stack.

1972 111 222 15 NR Building 100 Main Stack and Building 100 

Laboratory Stack.

1973 74 318 1 NR

1974 155 202 4 NR

1975 154 165 1 NR

1976 101 176 20 NR ERDA, 1977, p. 3-1 & p. 4-2

1977 129 161 28 NR

1978 132 156 5 NR

1979 128 206 5 1.E-04 The reported C-14 discharges (1979 – 1983) 

are from the Building 100 Laboratory Stack.

1980 140 209 2 2.E-04 Releases from Bldg. 800 began to be 

reported in this year.

1981 222 195 4 9.E-05 DOE, 1982, pp. 3-1 - 3-2, provides the 

following information:

Main stack height was reduced from 30.5 m 

(100 ft) to 21.3 m (70 ft) after June 30, 1981, 

to provide improved stability in the event of 

hurricane force winds.

1982 227 257 8 4.E-05

1983 259 152 11 1.E-05

1984 96 206 1.97 NR

1985 111 149 5.31 NR

1986 33 161 4.6 NR

1987 68 138 38 NR

1988 132.2 124.1 30 NR

1989 43.7 60 12.9 NR For the first time, discharges from the 

Building 200 exhaust stack began to appear.

1990 61.6 60.5 10.1 NR DOE, 1991, pages 32, 53, 65

1991 23 88 4 NR In 1991 two minor point sources (chemical 

hoods) exhausted tritium gas and tritium 

oxide through two roof openings. These were 

roof opening #378 (Chemistry Laboratory) 

and roof opening #413 (Environmental 

Laboratory).

1992 8 32 10 NR Emissions were only from the two main 

stacks (undetectable amounts from Buildings 

800 and 200 exhaust stacks).

1993 Total gas and oxide: 12 19 NR

1994 Total gas and oxide: 25 13 NR See Note 2.

(1) From Building 100 main stack.

(2) NR = No recorded release. For the first six years of operation, no Kr-85 was used at the site (Burkhart, 1990). For C-14, 

no documentation was found regarding its use or release other than for those years for which values are given.

Note 1: By 1992, approximately 82% of all stack releases had occurred during the first 4 years of the plant operation, 1957-

1960. 

Note 2: The releases for 1994 were: 13.6 Curies of tritium gas, 11.4 Curies of tritium oxide, and 13 Curies of Kr-85, 

respectively (Weaver, 1995).
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4.1.5

The tritium concentration in the liquid contained in the north-east retention pond and discharged to the 

drainage ditch was reported in environmental monitoring reports from 1971 through 1994. Table 4.1.5-

1 summarizes the annual maximum and average concentration of tritium in the retention pond. Since 

no data is known for the years prior to 1971, the highest concentration for the subsequent years was 

assigned to 1957-1970. Note that the data in Table 4.1.5-1 are reflective of results as measured at the 

discharge point to the drainage ditch. The actual quantity of tritium sent to the retention pond from 

Pinellas Plant manufacturing processes is not known.

Tritium Releases from the North-east Retention Pond

Table 4.1.5-1 Tritium Concentrations in the North-east Retention Pond

Year*

Maximum 

Concentration 

in the Water

(μCi/ml)

Average 

Concentration 

in the Water

(μCi/ml)

Minimum 

Detection Level

(μCi/ml)

Discharge 

Volume

(liters of water)

Total Curies 

sent to 

Retention Basin

1957 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1958 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1959 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1960 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1961 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1962 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1963 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1964 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1965 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1966 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1967 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1968 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1969 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1970 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1971 5.5E-4 4.6E-5 1.0E-5 NR NR

1972 1.5E-4 4.7E-5 1.0E-6 1.32E8 5.6

1973 3.0E-5 8.6E-6 1.0E-6 NR NR

1974 2.6E-5 9.2E-6 1.0E-6 NR NR

1975 9.8E-6 6.4E-6 1.3E-7 1.23E8 0.79

1976 6.7E-6 4.1E-6 1.6E-7 3.9E7 0.16

1977 6.7E-6 5.0E-6 1.4E-7 1.90E8 0.95

1978 5.2E-6 4.1E-6 1.4E-7 1.27E8 0.54

1979 1.1E-5 3.6E-6 1.4E-7 8.72E7 0.31

1980 8.7E-6 6.0E-6 1.4E-7 9.05E7 0.54

1981 1.4E-5 1.3E-5 1.6E-7 4.69E7 0.60

1982 1.2E-5 6.7E-6 1.7E-7 1.09E7 0.73

1983 5.0E-6 1.4E-6 3.0E-7 2.74E8 0.37

1984 4.8E-6 8.7E-7 1.7E-7 1.73E8 0.15

1985 3.2E-6 8.9E-7 8.5E-8 NR NR

1986 2.1E-6 9.0E-7 5.5E-7 NR NR

1987 1.05E-6 5.6E-7 7.8E-7 NR NR

1988 1.3E-6 4.4E-7 6.3E-7 NR NR

1989 2.8E-6 4.9E-7 5.1E-7 NR NR

1990 5.1E-7 NR NR NR NR

1991 4.8E-7 NR NR NR NR
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Year*

Maximum 

Concentration 

in the Water

(μCi/ml)

Average 

Concentration 

in the Water

(μCi/ml)

Minimum 

Detection Level

(μCi/ml)

Discharge 

Volume

(liters of water)

Total Curies 

sent to 

Retention Basin

1992 2.9E-7 BDL 4.5E-7 NR NR

1993 NR BDL 4.8E-7 NR NR

1994 NR BDL 4.3E-7 NR NR

AEC, 1972; 1973; 1974; ERDA, 1975; 1976; 1977; DOE, 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; 1983b; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 

1988; 1989; 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995b 

NR = Not reported

BDL = Below Detection Limit

* No environmental reports were available from 1957 through 1970. The maximum values reported (1971) are therefore 

assumed to be applicable to these prior years.

The amount of tritium measured in the north-east retention basin for all years was less than one 

percent of the concentration guide for tritium in water as set forth in ERDA Manual Chapter 0524.

Beginning in 1986, results from tritium analyses in water from the west and south ponds were 

reported. The reported values were of the same order of magnitude as the results from the north-east 

retention pond.

4.2 INTAKES FROM ONSITE ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION CONCENTRATIONS

Literature surveys revealed very little occupational environmental dose information. No information 

could be found for the first 15 years of plant operation (1957 to 1971) other than the number of curies 

released to the environment. For the remaining years (1972 to 1994), the dose to a maximally 

exposed individual (member of the public) was estimated using a computational model by the Pinellas 

Plant. Depending on the year calculated, the member of the public could be at the plant boundary or 

at a greater distance outside the plant boundary. Because of the distance from the general plant work 

environment and the fact that calculations included dose from ingestion, the dose to the maximally 

exposed member of the public could not be taken to be representative of the environmental dose to a 

worker within the plant boundary.

In this section, the maximum annual intakes due to emissions from stacks and the north-east retention 

pond are estimated. 

While greater than 95% of the activity released during the history of the Pinellas Plant were from 

tritium and therefore potentially contributed to intake, the small amount of 14C emitted could also have 

contributed to a worker’s intake. 

4.2.1

The intake at any location is directly proportional to the dry-air deposition concentration at that 

location. Therefore, using the computer model, the meteorological data, and the assumptions made 

(as described in Appendix A), the intake at the location of maximum dry-air deposition concentration 

within the plant site boundary was determined as the maximum intake within the plant site boundary 

for the corresponding exhaust stack and for a unit release of each effluent from that stack. The 

releases, by radionuclide, for each stack are shown in Table A-4a and Table A-4b. 

Maximum Onsite Intake Determination

Using the data in Table A-4a and Table A-4b, Table 4.2.4-1 summarizes the calculated intake by the

MEE in Becquerel per year.
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Table 4.2.4-1 Number of Becquerels of Each Radionuclide Inhaled Each Year by a MEE from Stack 

Emissions

Year Total Annual Inhalation for each radionuclide by a MEE from Stack Emissions (Bq)a

H-3 gas H-3 oxide C-14

1957 1.51E+04 3.15E+02 NR

1958 7.21E+04 1.31E+03 NR

1959 9.28E+04 2.99E+03 NR

1960 1.42E+04 9.79E+02 NR

1961 1.14E+03 6.89E+02 NR

1962 1.38E+03 5.60E+02 NR

1963 4.05E+02 2.32E+02 NR

1964 5.27E+02 1.28E+02 NR

1965 1.13E+02 2.25E+02 NR

1966 7.35E+02 8.66E+02 NR

1967 4.51E+03 4.79E+02 NR

1968 3.58E+03 4.84E+02 NR

1969 7.40E+03 6.68E+02 NR

1970 1.33E+03 1.05E+03 NR

1971 1.57E+03 8.42E+02 NR

1972 2.51E+02 5.00E+02 NR

1973 1.67E+02 7.16E+02 NR

1974 3.50E+02 4.55E+02 NR

1975 3.48E+02 3.71E+02 NR

1976 2.28E+02 3.96E+02 NR

1977 2.92E+02 3.62E+02 NR

1978 2.98E+02 3.51E+02 NR

1979 2.89E+02 4.64E+02 2.25E-04

1980 5.53E+02 7.38E+02 4.50E-04

1981b 2.19E+02 2.65E+02 5.05E-05

1981b 3.88E+02 4.17E+02 5.05E-05

1982 1.37E+03 1.55E+03 9.00E-05

1983 1.75E+03 7.87E+02 2.25E-05

1984 5.12E+02 1.24E+03 NR

1985 1.81E+03 9.30E+02 NR

1986 2.35E+02 9.68E+02 NR

1987 3.24E+02 8.05E+02 NR

1988 1.01E+03 4.54E+02 NR

1989 3.18E+02 3.83E+02 NR

1990 4.84E+02 4.25E+02 NR

1991 1.52E+02 3.51E+02 NR

1992 3.98E+01 1.79E+02 NR

1993c 0.00E+00 6.81E+01 NR

1994 9.89E+01 8.44E+01 NR

a. NR = no release recorded; calculation of maximum total annual intakes based on the estimated intakes

associated with the release of 1 Ci of each radionuclide from the 21-m-high main stack and the 30-mhigh laboratory stack.

b. 1981 was broken into two halves: January through June, and July through December because of the 

change in stack height. 

c. For 1993, it was assumed that tritium released was all in oxide form.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 13 of 29

4.2.2

An approach similar to that described in Section 4.2.1 for calculating the intake by a MEE from stack 

emissions was performed for a MEE located near the north-east retention pond. The following 

assumptions were made:

Determination of the Maximum Onsite Intake due to Emissions from the North-east 

Retention Pond

1. Zero plume rise was assumed for the releases from each exhaust stack to minimize the altitudinal 

distance the plume would rise, thereby maximizing how much of the plume remained onsite.

2. All of the tritium in the pond evaporated and was inhaled by the MEE who was located 100 meters 

west of the northeast retention pond. This location was chosen because it was modeled to be the 

location where ground-level concentrations would be highest based on meteorological data 

described in Section A-1 of Appendix A. 

3. It was assumed that the worker was outdoors for 10 hours/workday, 5 days/week, and 52

weeks/yr for a total of 2,600 hours/yr. 

4. The breathing rate of the MEE was assumed to be 11.5 cubic meters per day, 260 days per year. 

5. The combination of two available 5-yr JFDs as meteorological data (for 1960 to 1964 and 1969 to 

1973) was assumed to be applicable to the entire period from 1957 to 1994. This is a reasonable

assumption as, on average, the meteorological data do not change considerably.

Based on the maximum activity detected in the north-east retention pond (5.6 Ci in 1972), the intake 

of tritium for a MEE near the pond would be 2,027.2 Bq per year.

4.3 EXTERNAL DOSE

External doses to workers from environmental sources could have occurred at the Pinellas Plant. In 

this section, the annual environmental external dose to a maximally exposed employee (MEE) within 

the plant boundary is estimated for the years 1957 to 1994. The external dose estimations were 

based on Pinellas Plant emissions to which a worker could have been exposed while outdoors. 

The computer model used for the estimation of intakes (Appendix A) was also used for estimation of 

external dose.

4.3.1

The external dose from the stack emissions would be much less than internal dose because the 

primary environmental release at Pinellas was tritium which does not contribute to external dose. The 

external dose was calculated in a similar manner as the internal intake. A dose per unit curie was 

determined that could be multiplied by the total curies released to obtain mrem per year. Table 4.3.1-1 

shows the annual external dose associated with stack emissions to a MEE. Note that from 1957 

through 1962, there were no external doses due to stack emissions because neither 14C nor 85Kr was

emitted during these years.

External Dose from Stack Emissions
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 14 of 29

Table 4.3.1-1 Total Annual External Dose to a MEE Due to Stack Emissionsa

Year

Total Releases from Building 100 

Stacks (Ci) Total Annual External Dose 

(Sv)

Total Annual External 

Dose (mrem)

Kr-85 C-14

1957 NR NR NR NR

1958 NR NR NR NR

1959 NR NR NR NR

1960 NR NR NR NR

1961 NR NR NR NR

1962 NR NR NR NR

1963 4 NR 6.8E-24 6.8E-19

1964 47 NR 7.99E-23 7.99E-18

1965 153 NR 2.6E-22 2.6E-17

1966 49 NR 8.33E-23 8.33E-18

1967 70 NR 1.19E-22 1.19E-17

1968 202 NR 3.43E-22 3.43E-17

1969 55 NR 9.35E-23 9.35E-18

1970 44 NR 7.48E-23 7.48E-18

1971 12 NR 2.04E-23 2.04E-18

1972 15 NR 2.55E-23 2.55E-18

1973 1.36 NR 2.31E-24 2.31E-19

1974 4 NR 6.8E-24 6.8E-19

1975 1 NR 1.7E-24 1.7E-19

1976 20 NR 3.4E-23 3.4E-18

1977 28 NR 4.76E-23 4.76E-18

1978 5 NR 8.5E-24 8.50E-19

1979 5 1.00E-04 1.83E-18 1.83E-13

1980 2 2.00E-04 3.66E-18 3.66E-13

1981 4 9.00E-05 8.24E-19 8.24E-14

1982 8 4.00E-05 7.32E-19 7.32E-14

1983 11 1.00E-05 1.83E-19 1.83E-14

1984 1.97 NR 1.07E-23 1.07E-18

1985 5.31 NR 2.89E-23 2.89E-18

1986 4.6 NR 2.51E-23 2.51E-18

1987 38 NR 2.07E-22 2.07E-17

1988 30 NR 1.64E-22 1.64E-17

1989 12.9 NR 7.03E-23 7.03E-18

1990 10.1 NR 5.50E-23 5.50E-18

1991 4 NR 2.18E-23 2.18E-18

1992 10 NR 5.45E-23 5.45E-18

1993 19 NR 1.04E-22 1.04E-17

1994 13 NR 7.09E-23 7.09E-18

a. NR = no release recorded; calculation of maximum total annual doses based on the estimated doses

associated with the release of 1 Ci of each radionuclide from the laboratory stacks.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 15 of 29

The external dose associated with emissions from the north-east pond is zero, since the only 

emission was tritium.

4.3.2

In 1975, a facility became operational at the Pinellas Plant that used sealed plutonium capsules 

(thimble-size containers), as heat sources in the manufacture of radioisotopic thermoelectric 

generators (RTGs). The supplied sources were triply encapsulated in metal before shipment to the 

site. While no releases of 238Pu and 239Pu were anticipated, a preoperational, comprehensive onsite 

and offsite environmental survey was conducted (ERDA 1975). The results of the survey showed 

concentrations corresponding to global fallout levels.

Plutonium Releases to Air – Onsite Monitoring

The results from four continuous onsite perimeter air samplers were analyzed beginning with those 

from November 1975, the month in which the first plutonium heat sources were received by the site. 

Table 4.3.2-1 lists the concentrations of 238

Pu and 239Pu in air at the site perimeter sample stations in 

four directions (ERDA, 1976).
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 16 of 29

Table 4.3.2-1 Perimeter Plutonium Air Samplesa

Year

Sample Station, Isotope, Average Concentration in Air with 2 Standard Deviations (2σ), and Minimum Detection Llevel (MDL)b

[The values in the table are to be multiplied by 10-18 μCi/ml]

North

Pu-238 Pu-239

Avg. (2σ) Avg. (2σ)

[MDL] [MDL]

East

Pu-238 Pu-239

Avg. (2σ) Avg. (2σ)

[MDL] [MDL]

South

Pu-238 Pu-239 

Avg. (2σ) Avg. (2σ)

[MDL] [MDL

West

Pu-238 Pu-239

Avg. (2σ) Avg. (2σ)

[MDL] [MDL]

Average

Pu-238 Pu-239

[MDL]

1975 <2.9 (3.3)c <2.6 (2.1)c

[0.9 – 4.1]

1976 <0.9 (1.0) 4.7 (3.6)

[0.3 – 1.2]

<1.4 (2.0) 3.2 (1.9)

[0.3 – 1.2]

0.8 (0.6) 4.9 (3.1)

[0.3 – 1.2]

0.9 (0.5) 3.4 (1.0)

[0.3 – 1.2]

<1.0 4.1

1977 <1.1(0.5) 17.8 (8.2)

[0.7 – 1.8] [0.7 – 0.8]

<1.1 (0.7) 15.1 (5.7)

[0.7 – 2.2] [0.7 – 0.9]

<2.1 (1.0) 14.5 (7.4)

[0.5 – 2.7] [0.5 – 1.0]

<1.8 (0.5) 22.7 (6.1)

[1.4 – 2.4]

<1.5 17.5

1978 <1.3 (0.6) 25.5 (23.4)

[0.8 – 1.9] [0.6 – 2.0]

<2.4 (1.3) 31.0 (34.0)

[1.4 – 4.2] [1.0 – 4.2]

<1.7 (1.0) 18.5 (12.3)

[0.5 – 2.6] [0.5 – 1.8]

<1.3 (0.5) 26.5 (20.1)

[0.7 – 2.0]

<1.7 25.4

1979 <1.2 <1.2

[1.2]

<0.5 1.9

[0.5]

<0.6 1.7

[0.6]

0.4 5.0

[0.2]

<0.7 <2.5

1980 0.2 0.2

[0.19 – 0.25] [0.09 –0. 26]

<0.25 <0.14

[0.19 – 0.25] [0.09 – 0.26]

<0.19 0.31

[0.19 – 0.25] [0.09 – 0.26]

<0.22 <0.26

[0.19 – 0.25] [0.09 – 0.26] 

<0.22 <0.23

1981 <0.7 11.0

[0.2 – 0.7]

<0.4 10.7

[0.2 – 0.7]

<0.4 6.4

[0.2 – 0.7]

<0.2 9.2

[0.2 – 0.7]

<0.4 9.3

1982 <1.1 (0.9) <1.0 (0.5)

[0.4 – 1.6]

<0.6 (0.1) 0.8 (0.3)

[0.4 – 1.6]

<0.6 (0.2) <0.6 (0.2)

[0.4 – 1.6]

<0.7 (0.2) 0.8 (0.5)

[0.4 – 1.6]

<0.8 <0.8

1983 <1.3 (0.6) <1.3 (0.6)

[0.5 – 1.9]

<1.4 (0.3) <1.4 (0.3)

[0.5 – 1.9]

<1.2 (0.5) <1.2 (0.5)

[0.5 – 1.9]

<0.8 (0.3) <0.8 (0.3)

[0.5 – 1.9]

<1.2 <1.2

1984 <MDL <MDL

[0.5 – 2.4]

<MDL <MDL

[0.5 – 2.4]

<MDL <MDL

[0.5 – 2.4]

<MDL <MDL

[0.5 – 2.4]

<MDL <MDL

1985 <MDL <MDL

[0.59 – 2.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.59 – 2.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.59 – 2.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.59 – 2.7]

<MDL <MDL

1986 <MDL <MDL

[0.41 – 3.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.41 – 3.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.41 – 3.7]

<MDL <MDL

[0.41 – 3.7]

<MDL <MDL

1987 <MDL <MDL

[0.17 – 5.5]

<MDL <MDL

[0.17 – 5.5]

<MDL <MDL

[0.17 – 5.5]

<MDL <MDL

[0.17 – 5.5]

<MDL <MDL

1988 <MDL <MDL

[3.4 – 52]

<MDL <MDL

[3.4 – 52]

<MDL <MDL

[3.4 – 52]

<MDL <MDL

[3.4 – 52]

<MDL <MDL

1989 <MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

1990 <MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

[1.1 – 65]

<MDL <MDL

a. Sources: (ERDA, 1976; 1977); (DOE, 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; 1983b; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989; 1990; 1991).

b. Results showing less than the minimum detection level were assigned this value when computing averages.

c. Combined results for the last two months of the year with 2 standard deviations in parentheses. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 17 of 29

DOE (1991) states: 

It should be noted that Plutonium-239 is present in the environment as a result of past 

atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. Plutonium was utilized in Building 400 as a sealed 

source, and has never been detected in the building effluent monitoring system. The 

Building 400 RTG production process, which utilized triply encapsulated plutonium, has 

been discontinued, and all plutonium has been removed from the Pinellas Plant site. 

All plutonium heat sources were removed from the site by February 1991. All plutonium-related 

manufacturing operations ceased in 1991 (DOE, 1995a). Because no 238Pu or 239Pu has been shown 

to be released at the Pinellas Plant, no external environmental exposures due to these radionuclides 

have occurred.

4.3.3

No site-specific background radiation studies were found in the documentation for the Pinellas Plant. 

The population of the United States is expected to receive 77 mrem/yr. National Council on Radiation 

Protection and Measurements Report 93 states that this total external radiation accounts for 

36 mrem/yr from rocks and soil, 40 mrem/yr from cosmic radiation, and 1 mrem/yr from weapons 

testing (NCRP, 1987). 

Ambient Natural Environmental Dose

4.4 UNCERTAINTY

There are many sources of uncertainty involved in calculation of doses from building effluents. The 

sources of uncertainty range from the amount of effluent released, to the amount of dispersion, to the 

location and behavior of the receptor. Each individual uncertainty is reflected in some degree in the 

uncertainty in the resultant dose calculation.

Uncertainty in Amount of Effluent Release: The amount of effluent released directly affects the 

amount of dose for a given receptor. Assuming all other parameters remain constant, the resultant

dose is proportional to the amount of effluent.

Uncertainty in Amount of Dispersion: The amount of dispersion is dependent on many factors

including the release height above ground, the height of the surrounding buildings, the distance from 

the release location to the receptor, and the local meteorological parameters such as wind speed, 

frequency of wind direction, and frequency of atmospheric stability. The release height affects the 

ground-level concentrations: The higher the release height, the lower the ground-level concentration 

at a given location. The distance between the release location and the receptor affects the amount of 

dispersion. For an elevated release, the ground-level concentration rises for distances close to the 

release point (distances prior to the effluent plume touches the ground) and then decreases. To 

minimize the uncertainties, 10 yr of meteorological data was used in the dose calculations. Because

the effluent release heights varied during plant operation, three different stack heights were used: 

30 m, 21 m, and 6.4 m. 

Uncertainty in Location and Behavior of the Receptor: The location of the receptor was 

determined by selecting the distance and direction that would result in the maximum onsite 

concentration. In addition, it was assumed that the receptor was in an unshielded condition (outdoors) 

for 10 hours/day, 5 days/week, and 52 weeks/yr. It was also assumed that the receptor was breathing 

50% of the daily rate during working hours. Furthermore, it was assumed that the same worker 

received the maximum dose from all three stack sources, which would mean the worker was in three 

different locations at one time.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 18 of 29

REFERENCES 

AEC (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission), 1972, Environmental Monitoring Report 1971, Largo, Florida, 

August. 

AEC (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission), 1973, Environmental Monitoring Report 1972, Largo, Florida, 

March.

AEC (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission), 1974, Environmental Monitoring Report 1973, Largo, Florida, 

April. 

Burkhart, R. A., 1990, Environmental Health and Safety-- Historical Report on Radiation Protection at 

GE Neutron Devices, GEPP-EV-1126, UC-707, Largo, Florida, July. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1978, Environmental Monitoring Report 1977, Largo, Florida, April.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1979, Environmental Monitoring Report 1978, Largo, Florida, April.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1980, Environmental Monitoring Report 1979, Largo, Florida, April.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1981, Environmental Monitoring Report 1980, GEPP-EM-570, 

1597A/1598A/1610A-0080A, Largo, Florida, March.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1982, Environmental Monitoring Report 1981, GEPP-EM-654, 

8828A/8842A-0369A, Largo, Florida, March.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1983a, Environmental Assessment, Pinellas Plant Site, St. 

Petersburg, Florida, Largo, Florida, July.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1983b, Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report 1982,

GEPP-EM-729, 8828A-0369A, Largo, Florida, April. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1984, Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report 1983, 

GEPP-EM-806, 8828A-0369A, Largo, Florida, April. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1985, Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report 1984, 

GEPP-EM-879, 8828A-0115C, Largo, Florida, May.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1986, Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report 1985, 

GEPP-EM-964, 8828A-0115C, Largo, Florida, April. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1987, Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report 1986,

GEPP-EM-1017, UC-11, Largo, Florida, April. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1988, 1987 Pinellas Plant Environmental Monitoring Report, 

GEPP-EM-1114, UC-11, Largo, Florida, April. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1989, Pinellas Plant Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 

1988, GEPP-EV-1193, UC-11, Largo, Florida, June. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1990, Pinellas Plant Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 

1989, GEPP-EV-1061, UC-702, Largo, Florida, June.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 19 of 29

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1991, Pinellas Plant Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 

1990, NDPP-OSP-0053, Revision A, Largo, Florida, August. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1992, Pinellas Plant Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 

1991, MMSC-EM-92047, Largo, Florida, October.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1993, Pinellas Plant Annual Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1992, MMSC-ESH-93035, UC-702, Largo, Florida, June.

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1994, Pinellas Plant Annual Site Environmental Report for 

Calendar Year 1993, MMSC-ESH-94146, Largo, Florida, June 10. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1995a, Pinellas Plant Environmental Baseline Report, MMSC-EM95010, Largo, Florida, February. 

DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), 1995b, Environmental Management -- Pinellas Plant Annual Site 

Environmental Report for Calendar Year 1994, MMSC-EM-95011, Largo, Florida, June.

ERDA (U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration), 1975, Environmental Monitoring 

Report 1974, Largo, Florida, April. 

ERDA (U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration), 1976, Environmental Monitoring 

Report 1975, Largo, Florida, April. 

ERDA (U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration), 1977, Environmental Monitoring 

Report 1976, Largo, Florida, April. 

IT/Radiological Sciences Laboratory, 1986, A Technical Evaluation of the Air Monitoring Systems in 

Use for Exhaust Stack Emissions and Environmental Measurements at the Pinellas Plant, 

Largo, Florida, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, September. 

Napier, B. A., D. L. Strenge, J. V. Ramsdell, Jr., P. W. Eslinger, and C. Fosmire, 2002, GENII 

Version 2 Software Design Document, prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

by Battelle Memorial Institute under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy, Pacific 

Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, November.

NCRP (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements), 1987, Ionizing Radiation 

Exposure of the Population of the United States, Report 93, Bethesda, Maryland, September. 

State of Florida, 1994, Pinellas Plant Feasibility Study, Final Report, Florida Department of Health and 

Rehabilitative Services, Tallahassee, Florida, September.

Weaver, A., 1995, “CY 1994 radiological emissions and estimates for CY 1995,” internal 

memorandum to C. Biedermann, January 26, Martin Marietta Specialty Components, Inc., 

Largo, Florida. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 20 of 29

GLOSSARY

background radiation

Background radiation is the radiation received that is not associated with a worker’s 

occupation. This includes cosmic, terrestrial, and manmade sources.

becquerel

The derived International System unit of radioactivity equal to 1 disintegration/second.

beta radiation

Radiation consisting of charged particles of very small mass (i.e., the electron) emitted 

spontaneously from the nuclei of certain radioactive elements. Most (if not all) of the direct 

fission products emit beta radiation. The beta particle is physically identical to an electron 

moving at high velocity.

dosimetry

The science of assessing absorbed dose, dose equivalent, effective dose equivalent, etc., 

from external and/or internal sources of radiation.

exposure

As used in the technical sense, exposure refers to a measure expressed in roentgens (R) of 

the ionization produced by photon radiation (i.e., gamma and X-rays) in air.

gamma rays

Electromagnetic radiation (photons) originating in atomic nuclei and accompanying many 

nuclear reactions (e.g., fission, radioactive decay, and neutron capture). Gamma rays are 

physically identical to X-rays of high energy, the only essential difference being that X-rays do 

not originate in the nucleus.

neutron

A basic particle that is electrically neutral and has nearly the same mass as the hydrogen 

atom.

radiation

Alpha, beta, neutron, and photon radiation.

radioactivity

The spontaneous emission of radiation, generally alpha or beta particles, gamma rays, and 

neutrons from unstable nuclei.

radioisotopic thermoelectric generator

A radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) is a very simple electrical generator that

obtains its power from passive radioactive decay. Such a generator uses the fact that 

radioactive materials (such as 238,239Pu) generate heat as they decay. The heat used is 

converted into electricity by an array of thermocouples.

rem

A unit of dose equivalent equal to the product of the number of rad absorbed and a quality 

factor. The sievert (Sv) is the International System unit correlating to rem and equals 100 rem.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 21 of 29

thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD)

A holder containing solid chips of material that when heated release the stored energy as light. 

The measurement of this light provides a measurement of absorbed dose.
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 22 of 29

APPENDIX A

This appendix provides information on the computer model invoked, the meteorological data used, 

and the assumptions made in estimating the intake by, and the external dose to, a maximally exposed 

employee (MEE) at the Pinellas Plant. It summarizes the data for determining the location of a MEE 

in relation to each stack. 

Tables A-4a and A-4b summarize plant emissions in relation to the buildings and stacks. This 

information was used in the computer code GENII to determine intakes and external exposure for a 

unit curie.

4.4.1

The GENII Version II computer program was used to estimate the annual intake by, and the annual 

external dose to, the MEE at the Pinellas Plant (Napier et al., 2002). The meteorological data were 

obtained from two 5-year joint frequency distribution (JFD) files that are available as attachments to 

the GENII, Version II, program. The two 5-year JFD files were combined to form a 10-year dataset.

A-1 Computer Model and Meteorological Data

Discharges for the Building 800 and Building 200 stacks were combined into one hypothetical stack. 

The following general steps in the annual onsite dose estimation process were repeated for the three 

analyzed exhaust stacks:

1. For a release of 1 Ci of tritium gas from a particular stack, the air concentration was calculated as 

a function of direction and distance from the source. It should be noted that the concentration 

distribution would be the same for any other radioisotope involved. A matrix of concentration by

direction and distance, constructed from these results, was examined to determine the location 

with maximum concentration within the Pinellas Plant site boundary.

2. Considering the proportionality of intake, or external dose, to air concentration for each pathway 

(air inhalation, air immersion, and ground surface), the intake and external dose at the location of 

maximum concentration (maximum intake or external dose) were determined for 1 Ci (a unit 

source) of each radioisotope released from the stack for each pathway.

Krypton-85 and 14C do not deposit on the ground and, while tritium can deposit on the ground, the 

dose conversion factor for tritium is zero. In other words, because of its low-energy emission of 

beta radiation, tritium is not considered an external radiation source. 

3. Because intake, or external dose, at a location is directly proportional to the total radionuclides 

released, the total intakes, or total external doses by radionuclide and by pathway were obtained 

by multiplying the results obtained in Step 2 by the corresponding annual releases from the source 

(emission stack). 

4. For each year of operations, the total annual maximum intake, or external dose, corresponding to 

the radionuclides released from the stack was determined as the sum of all intakes, or all external 

doses obtained in Step 3.

5. The above steps were repeated for the other two exhaust stacks to estimate maximum intake, or 

external dose, from them.

6. The total intake by, or the total external dose to, the MEE was calculated by summing the values 

obtained in Steps 4 and 5 for the three stacks for each radionuclide. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 23 of 29

4.4.2

The determination of the intake by, or external dose to, the MEE included the following claimantfavorable assumptions: 

A-2 Calculation Assumptions

1. Zero plume rise was assumed for the releases from each exhaust stack to minimize the altitudinal 

distance the plume would rise, thereby maximizing how much of the plume remained onsite.

2. The midpoint between the Building 100 main stack (Stack A in Figure 4.1.4-1) and the Building 

100 laboratory stack (Stack B in Figure 4.1.4-1) was assumed to be the location of a single 

hypothetical stack for 1957 through June of 1981. This is a reasonable assumption because both 

stacks had the same height (30.4 m) during this period and the annual releases of tritium gas and 

the annual releases of tritium oxide from both stacks were known for 1957 to 1981. 

3. For the years after June 1981 when the Building 100 Main Stack was shortened from 30.48 m to 

21.34 m, it was assumed for computer modeling that both stacks in Building 100 were located at 

the midpoint between them with emissions at the respective heights. 

4. The combination of two available 5-yr JFDs as meteorological data (for 1960 to 1964 and 1969 to 

1973) was assumed to be applicable to the entire period from 1957 to 1994. This is a reasonable 

assumption as, on average, the meteorological data do not change considerably.

5. The intake by an MEE is the sum of the maximum intakes from releases from all stacks, despite 

the fact that, for each stack, the location of the MEE is different from that for another stack.

6. It was assumed that the worker was outdoors for 10 hours/workday, 5 days/week, and 

52 weeks/yr for a total of 2,600 hours/yr. 

7. The breathing rate of the MEE was assumed to be 11.5 cubic meters per day, 260 days per year. 

8. The intake calculated was due to air inhalation of tritium gas, tritium oxide, and 14C. The external 

dose calculated was due to exposure to 85Kr and 14C. Nothing was planted, grown, or produced on 

the Pinellas Plant soil to be consumed to create an ingestion dose.

9. In case of conflicting reports on some annual releases, the maximum values were chosen.

4.4.3

Using a unit source (1 Ci/yr of tritium gas), a distribution of dry-air deposition concentration within the 

boundary of the plant and in 16 directions was estimated using GENII results, as indicated in Table A1 for a 30-m-high stack, Table A-2 for a 21-m-high stack, and Table A-3 for a 6.4-m-high stack in 

Building 800. 

A-3 Air Deposition Concentration within the Plant Boundary

The shaded areas in Tables A-1 and A-2 reflect the locations outside the Pinellas Plant boundary in 

relation to a stack (source) assumed to have been at the midpoint between the two stacks in 

Building 100. The accuracy of the plant boundaries in these two tables depends on the step size 

(100 m) used to perform the computations and construct the tables. 

The distance from the source and the direction of the point of maximum dry-air deposition 

concentration was determined from each of the tables mentioned above by visual examination. 

For the 30-m-high stack, the maximum dry-air deposition concentration was estimated to be 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 24 of 29

7.53 × 10-4 Bq/m3 at 300 m east of the source. For the 21-m-high stack, the maximum dry air 

deposition concentration was estimated to be 2.42 × 10-3 Bq/m3 at 300 m west of the source. 

For the 6.4-m-high stack, the maximum dry-air deposition concentration was estimated to be 

4.60 × 10-2 Bq/m3 at 100 m west of the Building 800 stack. The bold type in Tables A-1, A-2, 

and A-3 indicates the maximum air concentration values. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 25 of 29

Table A-1 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3) as a Function of Distance and Direction to Source (30-m-high-stack case)

a

Direction Deg. 

Distance from the Source (the midpoint between the two stacks in Building 100), m Plant boundary 

1.00E+02 2.00E+02 3.00E+02 4.00E+02 5.00E+02 6.00E+02 7.00E+02 8.00E+02 9.00E+02 1.00E+03 to source, m

NNE 22.5 3.00E-05 2.22E-04 3.52E-04 3.98E-04 3.93E-04 3.66E-04 3.32E-04 3.00E-04 2.70E-04 2.44E-04 4.42E+02

NE 45 3.7E-05 2.58E-04 3.63E-04 3.81E-04 3.64E-04 3.34E-04 3.03E-04 2.74E-04 2.48E-04 2.26E-04 3.75E+02

ENE 67.5 4.71E-05 3.40E-04 4.80E-04 4.97E-04 4.66E-04 4.21E-04 3.75E-04 3.35E-04 3.00E-04 2.69E-04 2.92E+02

E 90 6.4E-05 4.98E-04 7.53E-04 8.20E-04 7.92E-04 7.28E-04 6.57E-04 5.89E-04 5.29E-04 4.77E-04 2.67E+02

ESE 112.5 1.66E-05 1.38E-04 2.68E-04 3.57E-04 3.89E-04 3.88E-04 3.72E-04 3.50E-04 3.27E-04 3.04E-04 3.00E+02

SE 135 1.9E-05 1.28E-04 2.55E-04 3.52E-04 3.96E-04 4.04E-04 3.95E-04 3.79E-04 3.59E-04 3.39E-04 1.97E+02

SSE 157.5 1.81E-05 1.30E-04 2.50E-04 3.36E-04 3.71E-04 3.74E-04 3.62E-04 3.45E-04 3.26E-04 3.06E-04 1.50E+02

S 180 3.53E-05 2.29E-04 4.10E-04 5.37E-04 5.91E-04 5.96E-04 5.79E-04 5.52E-04 5.21E-04 4.91E-04 1.42E+02

SSW 202.5 3.42E-05 2.15E-04 3.88E-04 5.09E-04 5.56E-04 5.58E-04 5.38E-04 5.09E-04 4.78E-04 4.47E-04 1.50E+02

SW 225 3.14E-05 2.32E-04 4.42E-04 5.88E-04 6.47E-04 6.51E-04 6.31E-04 6.01E-04 5.68E-04 5.35E-04 1.75E+02

WSW 247.5 2.66E-05 2.70E-04 5.44E-04 7.31E-04 8.10E-04 8.22E-04 8.02E-04 7.70E-04 7.32E-04 6.94E-04 1.92E+02

W 270 4.50E-05 3.97E-04 7.50E-04 9.73E-04 1.06E-03 1.07E-03 1.04E-03 9.92E-04 9.43E-04 8.94E-04 2.50E+02

WNW 292.5 4.12E-05 2.95E-04 4.93E-04 6.07E-04 6.46E-04 6.41E-04 6.17E-04 5.86E-04 5.53E-04 5.21E-04 5.25E+02

NW 315 3.68E-05 2.76E-04 4.57E-04 5.47E-04 5.68E-04 5.52E-04 5.21E-04 4.85E-04 4.51E-04 4.18E-04 4.83E+02

NNW 337.5 3.39E-05 2.74E-04 4.47E-04 5.29E-04 5.44E-04 5.25E-04 4.93E-04 4.58E-04 4.24E-04 3.92E-04 4.42E+02

N 360 4.32E-05 2.89E-04 4.83E-04 5.85E-04 6.05E-04 5.82E-04 5.42E-04 4.98E-04 4.56E-04 4.18E-04 4.08E+02

a. The shaded areas reflect the locations outside the Pinellas Plant boundary in relation to a stack (source) assumed to have been at the midpoint between the 

two stacks in Building 100. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 26 of 29

Table A-2 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3) as a Function of Distance and Direction to Source (21-m-high-stack case)a

Direction

Distance from source (the midpoint between the two main stacks), m Plant boundary 

Deg. 1.00E+02 2.00E+02 3.00E+02 4.00E+02 5.00E+02 6.00E+02 7.00E+02 8.00E+02 9.00E+02 1.00E+03 to source, m

NNE 22.5 2.55E-04 7.68E-04 9.07E-04 8.31E-04 7.14E-04 6.08E-04 5.21E-04 4.51E-04 3.95E-04 3.49E-04 4.42E+02

NE 45 3.11E-04 7.85E-04 8.47E-04 7.62E-04 6.57E-04 5.64E-04 4.88E-04 4.26E-04 3.75E-04 3.33E-04 3.75E+02

ENE 67.5 4.03E-04 1.03E-03 1.09E-03 9.49E-04 8.00E-04 6.75E-04 5.75E-04 4.96E-04 4.33E-04 3.82E-04 2.92E+02

E 90 5.72E-04 1.63E-03 1.84E-03 1.65E-03 1.41E-03 1.19E-03 1.02E-03 8.77E-04 7.65E-04 6.74E-04 2.67E+02

ESE 112.5 1.50E-04 6.04E-04 8.88E-04 9.09E-04 8.41E-04 7.56E-04 6.76E-04 6.04E-04 5.42E-04 4.88E-04 3.00E+02

SE 135 1.48E-04 5.79E-04 9.02E-04 9.58E-04 9.14E-04 8.43E-04 7.70E-04 7.02E-04 6.41E-04 5.88E-04 1.97E+02

SSE 157.5 1.46E-04 5.66E-04 8.45E-04 8.82E-04 8.32E-04 7.62E-04 6.92E-04 6.28E-04 5.72E-04 5.23E-04 1.50E+02

S 180 2.74E-04 9.24E-04 1.35E-03 1.41E-03 1.33E-03 1.22E-03 1.11E-03 1.01E-03 9.13E-04 8.33E-04 1.42E+02

SSW 202.5 2.57E-04 8.75E-04 1.27E-03 1.31E-03 1.23E-03 1.11E-03 1.00E-03 9.02E-04 8.15E-04 7.39E-04 1.50E+02

SW 225 2.60E-04 9.97E-04 1.48E-03 1.54E-03 1.45E-03 1.33E-03 1.21E-03 1.10E-03 1.00E-03 9.18E-04 1.75E+02

WSW 247.5 2.72E-04 1.23E-03 1.84E-03 1.95E-03 1.86E-03 1.73E-03 1.58E-03 1.45E-03 1.33E-03 1.22E-03 1.92E+02

W 270 4.16E-04 1.68E-03 2.42E-03 2.52E-03 2.40E-03 2.22E-03 2.04E-03 1.88E-03 1.73E-03 1.59E-03 2.50E+02

WNW 292.5 3.47E-04 1.09E-03 1.48E-03 1.51E-03 1.41E-03 1.29E-03 1.18E-03 1.07E-03 9.80E-04 9.00E-04 5.25E+02

NW 315 3.16E-04 1.01E-03 1.31E-03 1.28E-03 1.17E-03 1.04E-03 9.27E-04 8.29E-04 7.47E-04 6.78E-04 4.83E+02

NNW 337.5 3.12E-04 9.85E-04 1.25E-03 1.22E-03 1.10E-03 9.77E-04 8.67E-04 7.73E-04 6.92E-04 6.24E-04 4.42E+02

N 360 3.43E-04 1.07E-03 1.39E-03 1.34E-03 1.19E-03 1.04E-03 9.06E-04 7.95E-04 7.03E-04 6.27E-04 4.08E+02

a. The shaded areas reflect the locations outside the Pinellas Plant boundary in relation to a stack (source) assumed to have been at the midpoint between the 

two stacks in Building 100. 
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 27 of 29

Table A-3 Concentration of Tritium in Air (Bq/m3) as a Function of Distance and Direction to Source (6.4-m-high-stack case)

Direction Deg. 

Distance from source (the stack in Building 800), m

1.000E+02 2.000E+02 3.000E+02 4.000E+02 5.000E+02 6.000E+02 7.000E+02 8.000E+02 9.000E+02 1.000E+03

NNE 22.5 1.328E-02 7.106E-03 4.263E-03 2.862E-03 2.062E-03 1.559E-03 1.223E-03 9.862E-04 8.134E-04 6.832E-04

NE 45 1.231E-02 6.819E-03 4.100E-03 2.735E-03 1.957E-03 1.473E-03 1.150E-03 9.248E-04 7.609E-04 6.379E-04

ENE 67.5 1.490E-02 7.778E-03 4.587E-03 3.034E-03 2.162E-03 1.623E-03 1.265E-03 1.016E-03 8.350E-04 6.994E-04

E 90 2.611E-02 1.367E-02 8.043E-03 5.321E-03 3.795E-03 2.850E-03 2.224E-03 1.787E-03 1.469E-03 1.232E-03

ESE 112.5 1.589E-02 1.003E-02 6.269E-03 4.260E-03 3.081E-03 2.334E-03 1.831E-03 1.477E-03 1.218E-03 1.023E-03

SE 135 1.747E-02 1.229E-02 8.208E-03 5.807E-03 4.309E-03 3.319E-03 2.634E-03 2.143E-03 1.778E-03 1.500E-03

SSE 157.5 1.586E-02 1.091E-02 7.224E-03 5.088E-03 3.764E-03 2.895E-03 2.295E-03 1.865E-03 1.547E-03 1.304E-03

S 180 2.542E-02 1.734E-02 1.138E-02 7.972E-03 5.879E-03 4.511E-03 3.571E-03 2.899E-03 2.403E-03 2.026E-03

SSW 202.5 2.329E-02 1.530E-02 9.852E-03 6.827E-03 5.002E-03 3.822E-03 3.018E-03 2.445E-03 2.023E-03 1.704E-03

SW 225 2.767E-02 1.916E-02 1.270E-02 8.939E-03 6.609E-03 5.079E-03 4.025E-03 3.270E-03 2.711E-03 2.286E-03

WSW 247.5 3.563E-02 2.556E-02 1.711E-02 1.208E-02 8.944E-03 6.877E-03 5.452E-03 4.429E-03 3.673E-03 3.097E-03

W 270 4.599E-02 3.346E-02 2.280E-02 1.629E-02 1.215E-02 9.387E-03 7.466E-03 6.081E-03 5.051E-03 4.265E-03

WNW 292.5 2.702E-02 1.889E-02 1.279E-02 9.146E-03 6.833E-03 5.287E-03 4.210E-03 3.433E-03 2.854E-03 2.411E-03

NW 315 2.204E-02 1.411E-02 9.259E-03 6.535E-03 4.851E-03 3.740E-03 2.972E-03 2.419E-03 2.008E-03 1.696E-03

NNW 337.5 2.076E-02 1.288E-02 8.144E-03 5.591E-03 4.073E-03 3.101E-03 2.442E-03 1.975E-03 1.632E-03 1.373E-03

N 360 2.231E-02 1.282E-02 7.861E-03 5.328E-03 3.858E-03 2.927E-03 2.300E-03 1.858E-03 1.534E-03 1.290E-03
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 28 of 29

Table A-4a Annual Releases, for 1957 to June 1981

a

Year

Total releases from 

Bldg. 100 30-m stacks (Ci)

Total releases from Bldg. 800 6.4-m stack 

(Ci)

H-3 gas H-3 oxide Kr-85 C-14 H-3-gas

H-3 

oxide 

1957 6,660 140 NR NR NR NR

1958 31,920 580 NR NR NR NR

1959 41,070 1330 NR NR NR NR 

1960 6,265 435 NR NR NR NR

1961 504 306 NR NR NR NR

1962 611 249 NR NR NR NR

1963 179 103 4 NR NR NR

1964 233 57 47 NR NR NR

1965 50 100 153 NR NR NR

1966 325 385 49 NR NR NR

1967 1,994 213 70 NR NR NR

1968 1,586 215 202 NR NR NR

1969 3,275 297 55 NR NR NR

1970 587 465 44 NR NR NR

1971 694 374 12 NR NR NR

1972 111 222 15 NR NR NR

1973 74 318 1.36 NR NR NR

1974 155 202 4 NR NR NR

1975 154 165 1 NR NR NR

1976 101 176 20 NR NR NR

1977 129 161 28 NR NR NR

1978 132 156 5 NR NR NR

1979 128206 5 1.0E-04 NR NR

1980 138.26 207.03 2 2.0E-04 1.74E+00 1.97E+00

1981

b 108.03 93.57 3.28 4.5E

-05 1.41E+00 2.32E+00

a. NR = no release recorded. 

b. January through June 1981
Effective Date: 04/05/2005 Revision No. 00 Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0029-4 Page 29 of 29

Table A-4b Annual Releases for July 1981 to 1994a

Year Releases from the 21-m-high main stack Releases from the 30-m-high lab stack

Releases from the 6.4-m-high 

stack (Bldg. 800)

H-3 gas (Ci) H-3 oxide (Ci) Kr-85 (Ci) H-3 gas (Ci)

H-3 oxide 

(Ci) C-14 (Ci) H-3 gas (Ci) H-3 oxide (Ci)

1981b 66 59.39 0.36 44.855 37.68 4.5E-05 1.41 2.32

1982 150.7 131.19 8 75.07 123.71 4.0E-05 0.75 2.33

1983 219.8 71.61 11 39.19 80.1 1.0E-05 0.48 0.64

1984 53.25 116.67 1.97 42.55 87.8 NR 0.21 1.42

1985 68 92 5.31 34 56 NR 9 1 

1986 21 113 4.6 12 48 NR 0.4 0.3

1987 32.2 97 38 35.5 41.3 NR 0.07 0.07

1988 85.7 31.8 30 45.8 92.2 NR 2.03 0.12

1989 34.4 46.9 12.9 9 13 NR 0.347 0.1

1990 53 56.9 10.1 8 3.6 NR 0.586 0.038

1991 12.7 28.9 4 10 59 NR 0.26621 0.0626

1992 4.3 20.7 10 3.8 10.9 NR NR 0.033849

1993c NR 6.08 19 NR 5.47 NR NR 0.0851

1994 13.6 9.32 13 NR 2.08 NR NR 0.0887

a. NR = no release recorded. 

b. July 1981 through December 1981.

c. For 1993, it was assumed that tritium released was all in oxide form.