ORAU TEAM

Dose Reconstruction

Project for NIOSH

Oak Ridge Associated Universities I Dade Moeller I MJW Technical Services

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DOE Review Release 02/14/2013

Document Title:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory – 

Occupational Internal Dose

Document Number: ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 

Revision: 02 

Effective Date: 02/08/2013

Type of Document: TBD

Supersedes: Revision 01

Subject Expert(s): Robert E. Burns

Approval: Signature on File Approval Date: 01/28/2013

Keith W. Varnado, Document Owner

Concurrence: Signature on File Concurrence Date: 01/29/2013

John M. Byrne, Objective 1 Manager

Concurrence: Scott R. Siebert Signature on File for Concurrence Date: 01/28/2013

Edward F. Maher, Objective 3 Manager

Concurrence: Vickie S. Short Signature on File for Concurrence Date: 01/28/2013

Kate Kimpan, Project Director

Approval: Signature on File Approval Date: 02/08/2013

James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

New Total Rewrite Revision Page Change

FOR DOCUMENTS MARKED AS A TOTAL REWRITE, REVISION, OR PAGE CHANGE, REPLACE THE PRIOR 

REVISION AND DISCARD / DESTROY ALL COPIES OF THE PRIOR REVISION.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 2 of 73

PUBLICATION RECORD

EFFECTIVE 

DATE

REVISION

NUMBER DESCRIPTION

06/29/2004 00 New technical basis document for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

– Occupational Internal Dose. First approved issue. Initiated by 

Robert E. Burns, Jr.

05/30/2006 00 PC-1 Page change revision to update required language in the Introduction 

on page 8 in Section 5.1. Adds Section 5.4 on pages 28 and 29 on 

using air monitoring data to assign best estimates of internal dose for 

unmonitored ORNL workers during the 1944-1947 period. Makes 

reference changes on pages 30 and 32 in the Reference Section. 

Adds Attachment B, on pages 67, 68, 69, and 70, which gives the 

technical justification for this protocol. No changes occurred as a 

result of internal formal review. Incorporates NIOSH formal review 

comments. No sections were deleted. This revision results in no 

change to the assigned dose and no PER is required. Training 

required: As determined by the Task Manager. Initiated by Elizabeth 

M. Brackett and Thomas R. La Bone. Approval:

Signature on File 05/22/2006

John M. Byrne, Document Owner

Signature on File 05/22/2006

John M. Byrne, Task 3 Manager

Keith McCartney Signature on File for 05/22/2006

Edward F. Maher, Task 5 Manager

Signature on File 05/22/2006

Kate Kimpan, Project Director

Signature on File 05/30/2006

James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

10/01/2007 01 Approved Revision 01 initiated to include Attributions and 

Annotations, Purpose and Scope sections. Revised Section 5.4. 

Made editorial changes. No further changes occurred as a result of 

formal internal review. Incorporates formal NIOSH review 

comments. Training required: As determined by the Task Manager. 

Initiated by Robert E. Burns, Jr.

02/08/2013 02 Revision initiated to add new SEC designation to Section 5.1.3 and 

to incorporate definitions and directions for dose reconstruction for 

claims that are excluded from the 1943 through July 31, 1955, 

Special Exposure Cohort. Removed Section 5.4 and Attachment B 

from the text and Table of Contents. Incorporates formal internal and 

NIOSH review comments. Training required: As determined by the 

Objective Manager. Initiated by Keith W. Varnado.

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Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 3 of 73

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION TITLE PAGE

Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... 6

5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 8

5.1.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................ 9

5.1.2 Scope........................................................................................................................... 9

5.1.3 Special Exposure Cohort Class .................................................................................... 9

5.2 Radionuclides of Concern ...................................................................................................... 10

5.2.1 Solubility Classes ....................................................................................................... 11

5.2.2 Route of Intake and Particle Sizes.............................................................................. 12

5.2.3 Bioassay Programs .................................................................................................... 12

 5.2.3.1 In Vitro Monitoring Program .......................................................................... 12

 5.2.3.2 In Vivo Monitoring Program............................................................................ 13

5.2.4 Recordkeeping ........................................................................................................... 13

 5.2.4.1 Division Codes ............................................................................................... 13

 5.2.4.2 Radioanalytical Abbreviations and Codes ...................................................... 14

 5.2.4.3 Whole-Body Counting Results Codes ............................................................ 16

5.3 In Vitro Minimum Detectable Activities, Counting Methods, and Reporting Practices ............. 18

5.3.1 In Vitro Minimum Detectable Activities........................................................................ 18

 5.3.1.1 Minimum Detectable Activities between 1945 and 1989 ................................ 18

 5.3.1.2 Minimum Detectable Activities after 1989....................................................... 18

5.3.2 Counting Methods for In Vitro Samples ...................................................................... 18

 5.3.2.1 Alpha Spectrometry ....................................................................................... 19

 5.3.2.2 Liquid Scintillation .......................................................................................... 19

 5.3.2.3 Zinc-Sulfide Scintillation................................................................................. 19

 5.3.2.4 Gamma Spectrometry .................................................................................... 19

 5.3.2.5 Gas Flow Proportional Counter (Beta Counting)............................................. 19

5.3.3 Notes on Measurements of Alpha Emitters................................................................. 19

 5.3.3.1 Trivalent Alpha Actinides................................................................................ 19

 5.3.3.2 Plutonium....................................................................................................... 20

 5.3.3.3 Environmental Uranium.................................................................................. 20

5.4 In Vivo Minimum Detectable Activities, Counting Methods, and Reporting Practices.............. 20

5.4.1 Shielded Counting Room............................................................................................ 20

5.4.2 Detectors, Geometries, and Techniques..................................................................... 22

5.4.3 Cesium Counting Artifact............................................................................................ 27

5.4.4 Minimum Detectable Activity....................................................................................... 27

5.5 Attributions and Annotations .................................................................................................. 30

References ........................................................................................................................................ 32

Glossary ............................................................................................................................................ 35

ATTACHMENT A, CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA........................................ 38
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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE

5-1 Radioanaytical results between 1945 and 1988 ..................................................................... 11

5-2 Solubility classifications used by ORNL for reevaluation of historical bioassay results ........... 11

5-3 Routine bioassay monitoring methods and frequencies from 1973 to 1982............................ 12

5-4 Historical division codes......................................................................................................... 14

5-5 New division codes ................................................................................................................15

5-6 Urinalysis abbreviations and codes ........................................................................................ 15

5-7 Fecal analysis codes..............................................................................................................16

5-8 Result codes for whole-body counting.................................................................................... 16

5-9 Recommended in vitro MDAs for radionuclides from 1947 to 1989 ........................................ 17

5-10 MDAs for in vitro samples after 1989...................................................................................... 18

5-11 Construction history of the counting room .............................................................................. 21

5-12 1965 selection criteria for whole-body counting...................................................................... 22

5-13 Qualitative information concerning radioactive material detected using the WBC facility 

from 1966 to 1983.................................................................................................................. 23

5-14 Qualitative information concerning radioactive material detected using the WBC facility 

through 1978..........................................................................................................................24

5-15 Maximum measured in vivo activity from 1961 to 1966 .......................................................... 25

5-16 Mean body burdens of 137Cs from fallout in the United States ................................................ 27

5-17 MDA values for six-detector HPGe array................................................................................ 28

5-18 Current MDA values for ORNL scanning bed counter (NaI/Ge).............................................. 28

5-19 Current MDA values for ORNL germanium thyroid counter.................................................... 28

5-20 Current MDA values for ORNL fixed bed counter................................................................... 28

5-21 Frequency of in vivo monitoring.............................................................................................. 30

A-1 Data used to determine historical MDAs for radionuclides in urine and feces......................... 41

A-2 MDAs calculated from recovered data for radionuclides......................................................... 46
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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

5-1 Current MDA values for ORNL germanium lung counter versus chest-wall thickness ............ 29

5-2 Current MDA values for ORNL phoswich lung counter versus chest-wall thickness for 

241Am and 238Pu......................................................................................................................29

A-1 MDA data for 241Am in urine ................................................................................................... 47

A-2 MDA data for 244Cm in urine ................................................................................................... 48

A-3 MDA data for 137Cs in urine .................................................................................................... 50

A-4 MDA data for gross alpha in urine.......................................................................................... 51

A-5 MDA data for gross beta in urine............................................................................................ 53

A-6 MDA data for 3

H in urine ........................................................................................................ 54

A-7 MDA data for 147Pm in urine ................................................................................................... 56

A-8 MDA data for 238Pu in urine .................................................................................................... 57

A-9 MDA data for 239Pu in urine .................................................................................................... 59

A-10 MDA data for 241Pu in urine .................................................................................................... 60

A-11 MDA data for rare earths in urine ........................................................................................... 62

A-12 MDA data for 90Sr in urine ...................................................................................................... 63

A-13 MDA data for 233U in urine...................................................................................................... 65

A-14 MDA data for 238U in urine...................................................................................................... 66

A-15 MDA data for 241Am in feces................................................................................................... 68

A-16 MDA data for gross alpha in feces ......................................................................................... 69

A-17 MDA data for 239Pu in feces.................................................................................................... 71

A-18 MDA data for 232Th in feces.................................................................................................... 72
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 

AEC U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

cm centimeter

d day

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

DOL U.S. Department of Labor

dpm disintegrations per minute

EEOICPA Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000

ft feet

g gram

HPGe hyper-pure, intrinsic germanium

hr hour

ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection

in. inch

keV kiloelectron-volt, 1,000 electron-volts

L liter

m meter

MDA minimum detectable activity

mL milliliter

min minute

mo month

MPBB maximum permissible body burden

MPOB maximum permissible organ burden

mrem millirem

NaI sodium iodide

NaI-CsI sodium iodide-cesium iodide phoswich detector

NaI(Tl) thallium drifted sodium iodide

NaI/Ge sodium iodide/germanium

nCi nanocurie

NCRP National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements 

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

ORAU Oak Ridge Associated Universities

ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory

pCi picocurie

POC probability of causation

SEC Special Exposure Cohort

SBC scanning bed counter
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SRDB Ref ID Site Research Database Reference Identification (number)

TBD technical basis document

U.S.C. United States Code

WBC Whole-Body Counting (Facility)

wk week

μCi microcurie

μm micrometer

§ section or sections
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5.1 INTRODUCTION

Technical basis documents and site profile documents are not official determinations made by the 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) but are rather general working 

documents that provide historical background information and guidance to assist in 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 NIOSH staff 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 [DOE] facility” as defined in the Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act [EEOICPA; 42 U.S.C. § 7384l(5) and (12)]. 

EEOICPA defines a DOE facility as “any building, structure, or premise, including the grounds upon 

which such building, structure, or premise is located ... in which operations are, or have been, 

conducted by, or on behalf of, the Department of Energy (except for buildings, structures, premises, 

grounds, or operations ... pertaining to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program)” [42 U.S.C. § 

7384l(12)]. Accordingly, except for the exclusion for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program noted 

above, any facility that performs or performed DOE operations of any nature whatsoever is a DOE 

facility encompassed by EEOICPA.

For employees of DOE or its contractors with cancer, the DOE facility definition only determines 

eligibility for a dose reconstruction, which is a prerequisite to a compensation decision (except for 

members of the Special Exposure Cohort). The compensation decision for cancer claimants is based 

on a section of the statute entitled “Exposure in the Performance of Duty.” That provision [42 U.S.C. § 

7384n(b)] says that an individual with cancer “shall be determined to have sustained that cancer in the 

performance of duty for purposes of the compensation program if, and only if, the cancer ... was at 

least as likely as not related to employment at the facility [where the employee worked], as 

determined in accordance with the POC [probability of causation1

] guidelines established under 

subsection (c) ...” [42 U.S.C. § 7384n(b)]. Neither the statute nor the probability of causation 

guidelines (nor the dose reconstruction regulation, 42 C.F.R. Pt. 82) restrict the “performance of duty” 

referred to in 42 U.S.C. § 7384n(b) to nuclear weapons work (NIOSH 2010).

The statute also includes a definition of a DOE facility that excludes “buildings, structures, premises, 

grounds, or operations covered by Executive Order No. 12344, dated February 1, 1982 (42 U.S.C. 

7158 note), pertaining to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program” [42 U.S.C. § 7384l(12)]. While this 

definition excludes Naval Nuclear Propulsion Facilities from being covered under the Act, the section 

of EEOICPA that deals with the compensation decision for covered employees with cancer [i.e., 42 

U.S.C. § 7384n(b), entitled “Exposure in the Performance of Duty”] does not contain such an 

exclusion. Therefore, the statute requires NIOSH to include all occupationally-derived radiation 

exposures at covered facilities in its dose reconstructions for employees at DOE facilities, including 

radiation exposures related to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. As a result, all internal and 

external occupational radiation exposures are considered valid for inclusion in a dose reconstruction. 

No efforts are made to determine the eligibility of any fraction of total measured exposure for inclusion 

in dose reconstruction. NIOSH, however, does not consider the following exposures to be 

occupationally derived (NIOSH 2010):

• Background radiation, including radiation from naturally occurring radon present in 

conventional structures

• Radiation from X-rays received in the diagnosis of injuries or illnesses or for therapeutic 

reasons

 

1 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is ultimately responsible under the EEOICPA for determining the POC.
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5.1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this technical basis document (TBD) is to describe internal dosimetry systems and 

practices at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from late 1943 to the present. It discusses 

historical and current practices for use in the evaluation of internal radiation exposure of monitored 

and unmonitored workers. This TBD can serve as a supplement to, or substitute for, individual 

monitoring data.

5.1.2 Scope

ORNL began operations in early 1943. The startup of the Graphite Reactor and plutonium separation 

activities in late 1943 introduced the potential for personnel exposures from intakes of radioactive 

material. Laboratory operations involving radioactive materials increased over subsequent years as 

ORNL expanded its roles in radionuclide production and development of chemical separations 

processes. 

Development of methods and techniques for internal monitoring (bioassay) was one of the many 

priorities at ORNL in its early years of operation because such methods simply did not exist. Although 

ORNL used air sampling and radiological contamination monitoring programs as qualitative indicators 

of internal exposure, urinalyses for various internal contaminants did not begin at the site until about 

1945. (A limited number of in vivo measurements appear to have begun at ORNL in 1959.) ORNL 

maintained early tolerance levels for airborne contamination based on “product” (i.e., 239Pu) 

concentrations in the air (Cox 1944). [These early tolerance levels for alpha and beta-gamma 

contaminants were 3 × 10-11 and 1 × 10-7 μCi/cm3

, respectively, during the mid-1940s.] In addition, 

the Laboratory later established tolerance levels for materials such as 131I and noble gases.

Attributions and annotations, indicated by bracketed callouts and used to identify the source, 

justification, or clarification of the associated information, are presented in Section 5.4. 

5.1.3 Special Exposure Cohort Class

June 17, 1943, through July 31, 1955

In its evaluation of SEC-00189, NIOSH determined, and the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health concurred, that NIOSH lacks adequate information with which to perform sufficiently accurate 

dose reconstructions for the following worker class recommended for addition to the SEC

(NIOSH 2012): 

All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and their 

contractors and subcontractors who worked in any area at the Oak Ridge National 

Laboratory (X-10) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, from June 17, 1943 through July 31, 

1955, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either 

solely under this employment, or in combination with work days within the parameters 

established for one or more other classes of employees in the Special Exposure 

Cohort. 

Dose reconstruction guidance in this document for periods before August 1, 1955, is presented to 

provide a technical basis for partial dose reconstructions for claims not covered within the SEC class 

through July 31, 1955. NIOSH found that it was infeasible to reconstruct doses for inadequately 

monitored radionuclides such as uranium, thorium, and fission products. Although NIOSH found that 

it is not possible to completely reconstruct radiation doses for the proposed class, NIOSH intends to 

use any internal and external monitoring data that might become available for an individual claim (and 

that can be interpreted using existing NIOSH dose reconstruction processes or procedures). 

Therefore, dose reconstructions for individuals who were employed at the ORNL site during the period 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 10 of 73

from June 17, 1943, through July 31, 1955, but who do not qualify for inclusion in the SEC, may be 

performed using these data as appropriate. 

For periods within the SEC period, partial dose reconstructions can be performed based on personal 

monitoring information and/or available coworker intake rates. 

5.2 RADIONUCLIDES OF CONCERN

Because of the many diverse processes and experiments that took place there, a complete list of 

radionuclides workers encountered at ORNL would be difficult to assemble. Radionuclides likely to 

produce a measureable internal dose include uranium, activation products, fission products, and 

transuranic elements [1]. The earliest urine sample results that were provided by ORNL were for 

239Pu and 90Sr. The electronic data that were provided by ORNL for use in estimating isotopic MDAs 

came from a project performed in the early to mid-1990s to convert hard-copy data to a dBase IV 

database. Funding ran out on the conversion project in the mid-1990s; the entire set of site data was 

never completely converted, but a significant number of results were made available for Project use. 

In addition, captured information for 1945 indicated 164 urine bioassay samples for plutonium (Wirth 

1945). Table 5-1 lists radionuclides that were included in in vitro bioassay results from ORNL for the 

period from 1945 to 1988. The results were provided for estimating minimum detectable activities 

(MDAs) for various analyses. The source of these data was an electronic database that was created 

by ORNL in the early 1990s from hard-copy bioassay records and the 1945 plutonium samples. The 

sample size values in Table 5-1 are the numbers of analyses for that nuclide in the data ORNL 

provided and the 1945 plutonium samples. These values do not reflect the total number of in vitro

bioassays that were performed by ORNL in this period because not all hard-copy records are in the 

database.

Isotope-specific analyses for in vitro samples did not become routine until 1989. Before that time, 

chemical methods were used to separate radioelements as well as practicable, and the materials

were assayed in terms of total activity. The measured activity would later be assigned to a 

predominant nuclide. Therefore, a result from the early years might indicate 90Sr, when in reality it 

includes 89Sr. The same is true for early plutonium results and results for transuranic materials. 

Therefore, ”associated” radionuclides are inherently included in such results. Process knowledge of 

radionuclides present in various work areas was used to assign nuclides to sample results. The 

present ORNL internal dosimetry program uses a limited number of radionuclides for screening 

purposes. Positive results are followed up with additional bioassays. 
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Table 5-1. Radioanalytical results between 1945 and 1988 [2, 6]. 

Nuclide Sample size Nuclide Sample size Nuclide Sample size

Am-241 5,670 I-131 41 S-35 10

Am-243 12 Mn-54 2 Sb-125 1

As-74 7 Mo-99 1 Sm-151 11

BG 2 Na-24 3 Sr-85 1

Bk-249 14 Nb-95 3 Sr-89 37

Br-82 2 Np-237 55 Sr-90 12,893

Br-83 2 P-32 166 Tc-99 20

C-14 11 Pa-231 55 Th-232 1,125

Ca-45 4 Pa-233 16 Tl-201 1

Ce-144 37 Pa-234 1 Tl-204 1

Cf-249 3 Pb-210 2 Tm-170 6

Cf-252 14 Pm-147 80 U-232 1

Cl-36 1 Po-210 66 U-233 829

Cm-242 12 Pu-238 65 U-235 3

Cm-244 299 Pu-239 15642 U-238 11,434

Co-60 83 Pu-241 112 U-239 11

Cs-134 1 Pu-242 41 Y-88 5

Cs-137 3,561 Ra-226 333 Y-90 31

Fe-59 9 Ra-228 1 Zn-65 7

Gross alpha 4,875 Rare earths 1,098 Zr-95 20

Gross beta 324 Ru-103 1

H-3 2,070 Ru-106 65

5.2.1 Solubility Classes

Internal dosimetrists at ORNL provided a list of assumed intake modes and clearance class 

information for 73 radionuclides. These assumptions, given in Table 5-2, are those used by ORNL 

when reevaluating historical bioassay results. They are provided as a reference for dose 

reconstructors, with the caveat that the assumed solubility classes are not known to be based on any 

specific studies. In general, they merely reflect conservative choices for dose assessment in terms of 

committed effective dose equivalent. Dose reconstructors therefore should not assume that these 

classes, which are in terms of the system promulgated in (ICRP 1966), represent choices that are 

favorable to claimants for tissue-specific dose evaluations. Dose reconstructors should instead make 

a choice for the radionuclide and tissue(s) of interest using the system of solubility classes in 

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 66 (ICRP 1994) [3]. 

Table 5-2. Solubility classifications used by ORNL for reevaluation of historical bioassay results 

(McLaughlin 2002). 

Material 

class

Intake 

mode Radionuclides

V (Very soluble) Ingestion H-3

L (Labeled organic) Inhalation C-14

D (Days) Inhalation Na-22, P-32, P-33, S-35, Rb-86, Sr-85, Sr-89, Sr-90, I-125, I-129, I-131, 

Ba-133, Cs-134, Cs-137, Eu-152, Eu-154, W-188

W (Weeks) Inhalation Ca-45, Cr-51, Mn-54, Fe-55, Fe-59, Ni-63, Ge-68, Sc-75, Tc-99, Gd-153, 

Hg-203, Bi-207, Po-210, Ra-226, Np-237, Am-241, Am-243, Cm-242, 

Cm-244, Cm-248

Y (Years) Inhalation Sc-46, Co-57, Co-58, Co-60, Cu-64, Zn-65, Cu-67, Y-88, Y-90, Pd-103, 

Ru-106, Cd-109, Ag-110m, Pm-147, Ir-192, Os-191, Th-228, Th-229, 

Th–230, Th-232, Pa-231, U-232, U-233, U-234, U-235, U-236, U-238, 

Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, Pu-241, Pu-242, Cf-249, Cf-252
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5.2.2 Route of Intake and Particle Sizes

Unless additional information is provided, it should be assumed in all cases that the route of intake for 

internally deposited radionuclides was via inhalation of particles of 5 μm activity median aerodynamic 

diameter. 

5.2.3 Bioassay Programs

5.2.3.1 In Vitro Monitoring Program

ORNL has collected urine and fecal samples from individuals suspected of potential intakes from 

1945 to the present. Urine samples have been and still are the preferred method. While fecal 

samples can provide good supplementary information to determine when an intake occurred, the 

chemical solubility of the material, and the particle size, there typically is more variation associated 

with these samples than with urine samples. When fecal samples are obtained with urine samples 

after a known intake, the results can be used to better understand the intake parameters and provide 

a more accurate estimate of intake. 

Urine samples were collected in the early years of the bioassay program based on the area health 

physicist’s knowledge of field conditions (e.g., known spills or incidents, air and contamination sample 

results, etc.). This practice of scheduling did not use a specified sampling frequency (Fleming 2004a). 

A 1961 procedure manual (UCC 1961) references procedures and practices governing the health 

physics program at that time, including internal and external exposure monitoring. Although 

referenced, the procedure detailing internal dosimetry was not among the documents available for 

review.

A similar manual of health physics procedures and practices from 1982 lists a detailed set of 

requirements for graduated routine sampling, depending on the frequency and extent of a potential 

exposure (ORNL 1982). Table 5-3 lists ORNL-published routine bioassay monitoring methods and 

frequencies from 1973 through 1982. NOTE: Historical information of the in vivo monitoring program 

(see Section 5.3) indicates that the whole-body counting frequencies in Table 5-3 were not 

consistently followed. Discussions with previous site personnel indicate that no formal counting 

frequency was used at ORNL until the later 1980s (Fleming 2004b). 

Table 5-3. Routine bioassay monitoring methods and frequencies from 1973 to 1982a

(ORNL 1982). 

Radioactive material

Routine sampling categories

I II III

Pu-241 and alpha emitters 

other than uranium

Urine 3–4 wk

Whole-body 3–4 mo

Urine 6–13 wk

Whole-body 6–13 mo

Urine 6–12 mo

Whole-body 6–12 mo

Sr-90 and uranium Urine 4–6 wk Urine 4–13 wk Urine 6-12 wk

H-3 Urine each wk Urine each mo Urine each qtr

I-131 Whole-body each wk Whole-body each qtr Urine each qtr

Co-60 and Cs-137 Whole-body 3 mo Whole-body 6 mo Whole-body each 6–12 mo

All others Consult w/Internal Dose Group

a. Frequency of sampling should be in accord with employee's potential for exposure as determined by health 

physics surveyors. The following is a guide:

Category I Persons actively involved in operations or processes containing quantities of radioactive material, 

and when there is some evidence of contamination (i.e., positive results from smear and air 

samples).

Category II Employees working with relatively small quantities of materials that are confined or when there is 

no evidence of contamination or activity.

Category III Employees working with radioactive material or in the vicinity of material when there is no known 

exposure but some potential for exposure.
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Section 5.3 discusses the in vitro monitoring program and the data it produced. 

5.2.3.2 In Vivo Monitoring Program

ORNL has collected whole-body, lung-, and wound-counting data for employees since 1959. For the 

most part, in vivo counting was used until the late 1980s to confirm potential intakes from known 

incidents or identified by the in vitro monitoring program. Although Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness

(1965) indicated that routine in vivo monitoring for all site radiological workers began in 1965, it 

appears that a formal program did not begin until the mid- to late 1980s. Section 5.4 discusses the in 

vivo monitoring program and the data it produced. 

5.2.4 Recordkeeping

ORNL used various formats on paper records to record bioassay results through most of the period of 

interest. In addition, ORNL has entered much historical in vitro monitoring data into a database. 

These data were used to estimate MDAs as described in this document (see Attachment A). These 

records will be used by dose reconstructors in estimating intakes. 

It is not practicable for this document to provide examples of all record formats ORNL used in the past 

six decades; MMES (1995) contains a guide to historical record formats. Most bioassay records 

share the following information: name, badge or other identification number, division code, health 

physics area, date, analysis code, results (in disintegrations per minute per 24-hr sample), and a 

reason for the analysis. A review of ORNL claim files indicated that many bioassay forms had slight 

revisions throughout their use but that the information they contain is similar from one revision to the 

next and should be easily interpreted. 

5.2.4.1 Division Codes

The division code sometimes provides information on individual locations and job assignments. 

Table 5-4 lists historical division codes, and Table 5-5 lists more recent codes. 
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Table 5-4. Historical division codes (MMES 1995).

Codes DIVNUM Departments Division name

AC 01 3390 Analytical Chemistry

BI 02 4455 Biology

CH 04 Chemistry

CT 03 3370 Chemical Technology

DI 20 3200 Directors

EC, GE 38 3060 Gen. Engr. and Construc.

ED 06 3480 Education

EL 07 3320 Electronuclear

FM 22 Finance and Materials

HE 23 3090 Health

HP 08 3810, 4193, 3193, 3490 Health Physics

IC 09 3341, 3075 Instrumentation and Controls

IE 24 Inspection Engineering

IS 25 3369, 3650, 4362, 3360 Isotopes

LP 26 3094 Laboratory Protection

MA 10 3166, 3516, 3152 Mathematics

MC 11 3470 Metals and Ceramics

MET Metallurgy

NP 12 3410 Neutron Physics

OP 28 3639 Operations

PE 21 3016, 3078, 3003, 3004, 3062 Plant and Equipment

PH 13 3405 Physics

PI 30 3173 Public Information

PR 29 3107, 3141 Personnel

RC 14 3430, 4430 Reactor Chemistry

RE 16 4435, 3435 Reactor 

RP 17 Research Participation

SS 18 3475 Solid State

TH 19 4460 Thermonuclear

TI 31 3072, 3148 Technical Information

5.2.4.2 Radioanalytical Abbreviations and Codes

Paper records contain abbreviation codes for recording analytes. These codes were often based on 

the initials of the analysis or the isotopic abbreviation of the radionuclide. Tables 5-6 and 5-7 list the 

codes for measured radionuclides in urine and fecal samples, respectively (Mani 1983) (MMES 1995). 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 15 of 73

Table 5-5. New division codes (MMES 1995).

Code DIVNUM Division Code DIVNUM Division

AC 01 Analytical Chemistry HS 08 Health & Safety RSRH

AS 70 Administrative Services IC 09 Instrmt & Controls

AT 07 Applied Technology IF Isotopes

BI 02 Biology IR 43 Info. Resource Org.

BS 95 Business Systems IS 72 Isotopes Division

CH 04 Chemistry LP 26 Lab Prot.

CM 20 Central Management MC 11 Metals and Ceramics

CS 63 Computing and Telecom OC 62 Controller Office

CT 03 Chemical Technology OP 27, 32 Operations

EA 93 ESA OS 22 Operational Safety

EC 35 Environmental Compliance PC 64 Procurement

EH 36 Env. & Health Prot. PE 21 Plant & Equipment

EN 15 Energy PH 13 Physics

EP 12 Eng. Physics & Math PU 73 Publications

ER 29 Employee Relations QA 24 Quality

ES 42 Env. Sciences RE 87 Env. Restoration

ET 16 Eng. Technology RP 14 Robotics

EX 90 Executive Offices RR 06 Research Reactors

FE 19 Fusion Energy RU Rust

FM 37 Finance and Materials SS 18 Solid State

FR 14 Fuel Recycle TR 60 Treasurer Office

GE 69 ORNL Engineering VI Visitor

GR 71 Graphics WM 27 Waste Management

HE 23 Health

Table 5-6. Urinalysis abbreviations and codes (Mani 1983; MMES 1995). 

Alphanumeric code Numeric code Alphanumeric code Numeric code

CM0 Cm-244 000 Other PA3 Pa-233 beta 017 Np-237

CO0 Co-60 001 S-35 PH2 P-32 018 Ag-110m

CS0 Cesium B (Cs-137) 002 Co-60 PM7 Pm-147

CS7 Cs-137 003 Pb-210 PO0 Po-210

EU Eu-154 004 Na-24 PU0, PU Pu-239 alpha 

FP0, FP Fission products (Cs137)005 Zr-95/Nb-95 PU1 Pu-241

FU0 Total rare earths () 006 Tc-99 PU9 Pu-239

GA0, GA Gross alpha (Pu-239) 007 As-74 RA0 Ra-226

GB0, GB Gross beta (Sr-90) 008 Br-82/Br-83 RU6 Ru-106

GD0 Gd-153 009 Fe-59 SR0 Sr-90

GG0 Gross gamma (Cs-137) 010 Mn-54 SR5 Sr-85

GU0 Gross alpha (Pu-239) 011 I-131 SR9 Sr-89

HY3 H-3 012 Cs-132 TA0 Ta-180

I25 I-125 013 Gross beta TH Th-232

I31 I-131 014 Ba-140 TP0 Trans plutonium 

alpha (Am-241)

NP0 Np-237 015 Sb-125 TRE Total rare earths ()

PA0 Pa-230 alpha 016 Tl-204 URO U-234 alpha

The ORNL database contains values for isotopic activities during times when isotope-specific 

analyses were not possible or routinely performed. In earlier years, the element of concern was 

extracted chemically from the biological sample and the total radioactivity of the element in the extract 

was measured. At some point after the extraction and sample count, the total sample activity was 

attributed to a specific radionuclide. Many of the isotopic assignments were based on process 

knowledge. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 16 of 73

Table 5-7. Fecal analysis codes (Mani 

1983; MMES 1995). 

Alphanumeric code

GF0 Pu-239 gross alpha (includes Th)

PF0 Pu-239

RF0 Rare earths ()

SF0 Sr-90

SF9 Sr-89

TF0 Trans plutonium (Am-241)

UF0 U-234

OF0 Other

5.2.4.3 Whole-Body Counting Results Codes

Table 5-8 lists codes used on some older cards and forms for documenting whole-body counting 

results. Many hard-copy records have been consolidated into individual personal records folders. 

However, this compilation is incomplete, with records only for employees with last names beginning 

with A through G. 

Table 5-8. Result codes for whole-body counting [4].

Before 1971 1971–1978

Code Descriptiona Code Descriptiona

1 Normal human spectrum 0 = <15% MPOB

2 Less than 10% MPBB 2 = <25% MPOB

3 Less than 25% MPBB 4 = <50% MPOB

4 Less than 50% MPBB 6 = <100% MPOB

5 Greater than 50% MPBB 8 >100% MPOB

N Insignificant & indeterminate

S Significant & indeterminate

a. MPBB = maximum permissible body burden; MPOB = maximum permissible 

organ burden. 

Recovered data show that analytical MDAs tended to remain fairly consistent for a number of years. 

Abrupt changes in MDAs can be identified for groups of radionuclides during specific years. After

these changes, the MDAs remain generally consistent in subsequent years. This “step-wise” pattern 

allowed MDAs from several years to be grouped to obtain a single, representative MDA. Table A-2 in 

Attachment A provides annual averages for periods when bioassay data were available. 

To reflect the performance of the instrumentation and analytical methods more accurately during the 

period before 1990, Table 5-9 assigns MDAs for some isotopes to their corresponding radioelement 

rather than the specific radionuclide. For example, routine separation of the alpha emitters 238Pu and 

239Pu did not occur until alpha spectrometric analyses became routine in 1989, but the recovered 

database reports both separately. They have been combined in this document as “Plutonium.” 

NOTE: Plutonium-241 is reported separately because it is a beta emitter that can be assayed 

separately from the alpha-emitting isotopes of plutonium. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 17 of 73

Table 5-9. Recommended in vitro MDAs (dpm/24-hr sample) for radionuclides from 1947 to 1989. 

Year

Urine MDAs (dpm/24h sample) Fecal MDAs (dpm/24h sample)

Gross 

alpha

Gross 

beta

Am241Cm244Cs137 H-3I131Np237Pm147 Plutonium PoloniumPu241Ra226Rare 

earths

Ru106Sr-89 + 

Sr-90 Uranium

Gross

alpha

Am241Cm244 PlutoniumTh232

1943

1944

1945 3.1 

1946

1947 0.38

1948 0.38 1.4

1949 0.38 1.4

1950 33 0.21 34 1.4 0.53

1951 0.33 33 0.21 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.53

1952 0.26 0.33 33 0.21 31 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.53

1953 0.26 0.33 33 0.21 58 31 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.53

1954 0.26 1,135 0.33 33 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.53

1955 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.53

1956 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.64 0.53

1957 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 1.1 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1958 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 1.1 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1959 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 1.1 396 0.21 58 1.3 129 0.30 34 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1960 0.26 1,135 0.33 197 1.1 396 0.21 58 1.3 129 53 34 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1961 0.26 288 0.33 197 320,282 1.1 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1962 0.26 288 0.33 197 320,282 1.1 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1963 0.26 288 0.33 197 320,282 1.1 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 6.3 0.64 0.34 0.53

1964 0.26 288 0.33 0.22 197 320,282 0.09 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 1.1 0.64 0.34 0.53

1965 0.26 288 0.33 0.22 197 320,282 10,358 0.09 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 1.1 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1966 0.26 288 0.33 0.22 197 320,282 10,358 0.09 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 1.1 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1967 0.26 288 0.33 0.22 197 320,282 10,358 0.09 396 0.21 17 1.3 129 53 6.3 1.1 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1968 0.09 39.8 0.08 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.06 17 9.2 1.3 129 53 6.3 0.09 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1969 0.09 39.8 0.08 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.06 17 9.2 1.3 129 53 6.3 0.09 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1970 0.09 39.8 0.08 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.06 17 9.2 1.3 129 53 6.3 0.09 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1971 0.09 39.8 0.08 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.06 17 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.09 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1972 0.09 39.8 0.08 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.06 17 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.09 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1973 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 17 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1974 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 17 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1975 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1976 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1977 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1978 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1979 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1980 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1981 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1982 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1983 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1984 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1985 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1986 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1987 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1988 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53

1989 0.09 39.8 0.05 0.10 51 55,681 10,358 0.09 396 0.04 0.52 9.2 0.07 5.4 53 4.0 0.06 0.64 0.46 1.05 0.34 0.53
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 18 of 73

5.3 IN VITRO MINIMUM DETECTABLE ACTIVITIES, COUNTING METHODS, AND 

REPORTING PRACTICES

5.3.1 In Vitro Minimum Detectable Activities

5.3.1.1 Minimum Detectable Activities between 1945 and 1989

Table 5-9 lists historical MDAs for radionuclides of concern in urine and feces. These MDAs were 

calculated from analytical records that were recovered from the in vitro sample databases that support 

the ORNL historic workforce dose assessment project (MMES 1995). In addition, captured 

information for 1945 indicated 164 urine bioassay samples for plutonium (Wirth 1945). This 1945 data 

was also used in the MDA calculation for that year. Attachment A contains details of data recovery 

and additional information on specific radionuclides. Blank MDA entries in the early years in Table 5-

9 indicate that no analytical results for that radionuclide were recovered from that year. This could be 

because the records have not been found, or because the analysis was not performed.

5.3.1.2 Minimum Detectable Activities after 1989

MDA values for present (since 1989) samples are available with each sample. Table 5-10 lists 

typical, current MDAs for radionuclides of concern in urine and feces. 

Table 5-10. MDAs for in vitro samples after 

1989 (McLaughlin 2002). 

Isotope

MDA 

(dpm/24-hr sample)

H-3 9,100

C-14 4,480

P-32 1

Sr-90 3

Tc-99 200

I-131 20

Np-237 0.02

Th-232 0.02

U-232 0.02

U-233 0.02

U-234 0.02

U-235 0.02

U-238 0.02

Pu-238 0.02

Pu-239 0.02

Am-241 0.02

Cm-244 0.02

Cf-252 0.02

Bk-249 26

5.3.2 Counting Methods for In Vitro Samples

Several counting methods have historically been available at ORNL for determining radioactivity in in 

vitro samples. The following sections discuss alpha spectrometry, liquid scintillation, zinc sulfide 

scintillation, gamma spectrometry, and beta counting using a gas flow proportional counter. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 19 of 73

5.3.2.1 Alpha Spectrometry

ORNL uses alpha spectrometry in the analysis of nuclides that decay primarily by alpha emission, 

with only very low-energy photons or none at all. A tracer is added to the bioassay sample before 

analysis begins to determine the chemical yield of the process. The radioelements are chemically 

separated from the sample and electrodeposited on stainless-steel disks. Plutonium and the other 

transuranic elements can be analyzed sequentially; uranium analysis requires a separate sample. 

5.3.2.2 Liquid Scintillation

Liquid scintillation is used for the analysis of low-energy pure beta emitters, specifically 3

H and 14C. 

One milliliter of a urine sample is mixed with a scintillation cocktail for analysis. 

5.3.2.3 Zinc-Sulfide Scintillation

ORNL used zinc-sulfide scintillation counting to count alpha emitters such as the trivalent alpha 

actinides (see Sections 5.3.3.1 and 5.3.3.2). 

5.3.2.4 Gamma Spectrometry

ORNL uses gamma spectrometry to identify and quantify radionuclides that emit photons with 

energies greater than 60 keV. A high-resolution, hyper-pure, intrinsic germanium (HPGe) detector 

with a beryllium end-window is used. Urine samples are placed in a 1-L MarineIli beaker, which is 

placed over the detector for counting. If the total sample volume is less than 1 L, distilled or deionized 

water is added to bring the volume up to 1 L. Fecal samples were counted directly in the sample 

counter for screening purposes, and they might have been ashed and placed into a 2-in. Petri dish for 

quantitative results. 

5.3.2.5 Gas Flow Proportional Counter (Beta Counting)

ORNL uses the gas flow proportional counter system for the analysis of strontium. Strontium is 

chemically separated from the sample and filtered onto a glass fiber filter. The filter is placed on a 

planchet for insertion into the counter. The counting system does not distinguish between beta 

energies, so the reported result is total strontium (89Sr plus 90Sr). 

5.3.3 Notes on Measurements of Alpha Emitters

5.3.3.1 Trivalent Alpha Actinides

Before 1989, ORNL did not perform radionuclide-specific analyses for americium, curium, and other 

high atomic number elements beyond plutonium. [These radionuclides were typically recorded on the 

HP Body Fluids Analysis Request cards as transplutonium (TPO or TPL).] Rather, the Laboratory 

separated trivalent alpha actinides as a group and analyzed by zinc-sulfide scintillation counting. 

Therefore, monitoring of transplutonium elements was unable to differentiate between such nuclides 

as 241Am and 244Cm. The default radionuclide to use with measurements involving trivalent alpha 

actinides is 241Am. The detection sensitivity of the transplutonium analysis technique is not well

documented for samples processed before 1985. However, laboratory records suggest that the 

transplutonium detection level was about 0.2 dpm through 1985. 

For analyses after 1985, an estimate of the sample-specific MDA is generally reported. Alpha 

spectroscopy analysis for transuranic elements in bioassay samples began in the early to mid-1980s. 

Differentiation by alpha energy separation for isotopes such as 234U, 235U, 238U, 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Am, 

and 244Cm became possible.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 20 of 73

5.3.3.2 Plutonium

Before 1989, ORNL did not routinely perform isotope-specific analyses for plutonium. Rather, the 

Laboratory separated plutonium as an element and analyzed it by zinc-sulfide scintillation counting. 

Therefore, the historic plutonium analysis technique was unable to differentiate among the alphaemitting 238Pu, 239Pu, and 240Pu. Site analytical personnel assert that in the early 1980s, positive total 

plutonium measurements were recounted on the limited number of alpha spectrometers that were 

available at the site. Although many HP Body Fluids Analysis Request cards in the claims files gave 

results for 238Pu and 239Pu, this was not consistently observed. The default isotope for positive, total 

plutonium measurements should be 239Pu [5]. 

5.3.3.3 Environmental Uranium

The following paragraphs were taken entirely from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Internal 

Dosimetry Program Technical Basis Document (McLaughlin 2002). They are included as an aid to 

dose reconstructors in the interpretation of uranium bioassay results for ORNL workers. 

Environmental levels of naturally-occurring uranium are found throughout eastern 

Tennessee. The environmental activity levels in the immediate area surrounding Oak 

Ridge are sufficiently high such that dietary intake of uranium is detectable with 24-

hour urine samples. A urinary uranium background study was conducted in the mid 

1990's using non-occupationally exposed employees to quantify the range of typical 

background uranium excretion. Based upon the results of that study, a discrimination 

level (set at the 99th percentile level) of 0.14 dpm/day was established for both U-234 

and U-238 to differentiate between environmental and occupational exposure to 

uranium. A value of 0.25 dpm/day is applied to total uranium results. Plots of the 

observed uranium excretion distributions for U-234, U-238, and total uranium are 

provided below.

An activity ratio of U-234 to U-238 of approximately 2 to 1 has been observed within 

the analyzed local potable water samples. Activity ratios in this range have been 

reported for various aquifers (Osmond). Though U-234 and U-238 should be in secular 

equilibrium within nature, the observed enrichment of the isotope U-234 is believed to 

be caused by several factors which include the direct transfer of U-238 decay products 

across a solid/liquid phase boundary by alpha recoil and differences in solubility 

between uranium decay chain members. Recognizing this trend, uranium bioassay 

results that are less than 0.2 dpm/day that do not exhibit a U-234 to U-238 activity ratio 

of 2:1 should be considered suspect and investigated.

5.4 IN VIVO MINIMUM DETECTABLE ACTIVITIES, COUNTING METHODS, AND 

REPORTING PRACTICES

5.4.1 Shielded Counting Room

The ORNL Whole-Body Counting (WBC) facility, sometimes referred to as the In Vivo Gamma-Ray 

Spectrometer), is in Building 2008 in the northwest corner of the Main Plant area. Several Health 

Physics Division annual progress reports (Morgan 1961; Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness 1963, 1966) 

indicate that the WBC facility began operation in June 1960 and another report (Brown, Patterson, 

and Abee 1971) indicates a May 1960 date; a more recent document (Watts et al. 1995) indicates 

several counts occurred earlier. Therefore, it is likely that the WBC facility began limited operations in 

1959. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 21 of 73

The main counting room has inner dimensions of 10 by 10 by 10 ft. Its walls consist of four layers of 

pre-World War II steel with a total thickness of 14 in. Some documents called it the iron or big room. 

The first recorded count in the WBC facility occurred on July 13, 1959, and, “was a background count 

[conducted] in the corner of the steel room with the door not in place and the roof incomplete” (Watts 

et al. 1995). The room was completed on July 24, 1959 (with the exception of a 0.125-in. layer of 

“special low-radioactivity lead” added to all inner surfaces in 1960 to reduce background radiation 

levels) and was used for a time to conduct background studies of paint and interior samples and to 

count biological samples such as milk, grass, and cow thyroids. The first recorded lung count of an 

employee occurred on May 19, 1960. Almost immediately after (May 19 to 20, 1960), it was used to 

conduct lung counts of three employees involved in an onsite contamination incident. The original 

counting facility used a 4- by 4-in. NaI (Tl) crystal, but it is not clear what the counting geometry was. 

There is a photograph of an individual laying on a nylon-strapped, aluminum beach chair, but it was 

not clear whether that was the geometry initially employed in the facility. The “Argonne Chair” 

counting geometry was set up for whole body counting on February 27, 1961 (Morgan 1961, p. 240). 

The tubular steel chair was tilted so the individual’s body was in a V position with the detector placed 

approximately 50 cm directly over the hips (Morgan 1961, p. 241).

Before construction of the WBC facility, health physicists realized that there could be problems with 

siting a low-level radiation counting facility in the plant environment, with radioactive effluents from 

operations being generated immediately adjacent to the facility. Therefore, ORNL designed and 

installed a recirculating air treatment system that pumped air from inside the counting room through 

charcoal traps, cooling coils, and heaters to remove radon, odors, and excess moisture (Brown, 

Patterson, and Abee 1971; Morgan 1961). A slight positive pressure was maintained in the counting 

room by using cylinders of “aged” breathing air to make up for leakage from the system. 

To improve the detection sensitivity, additional layers of material were applied to the floor in the WBC 

facility counting room over the years. Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness (1963) indicates that 0.04-in.-

thick layers of tin and cadmium were laid over the interior surface of the lead, only on the floor, with a 

0.01-in.-thick layer of copper over the tin and cadmium. The original vinyl tile was placed over the 

copper. These materials were installed to reduce background radiation emitted from the lead shield 

as a graduating shield to minimize the contribution of low-energy X-rays. In the mid-1990s, the vinyl 

tile surface was removed and a 0.03-in.-thick layer of stainless steel was placed directly over the other 

metal layers. Site personnel indicated that the stainless-steel layer was primarily for aesthetic 

purposes to cover the oxidized copper layer. With the addition of frictional surfaces for slip reduction, 

this was the latest form of the floor. Table 5-11 lists the construction history of the counting room.

Table 5-11. Construction history of the counting room. 

Installation date Material Thickness (in.)

1959 (entire facility) Pre-WW II steel 14 

1960 (entire facility) Special low-radioactivity lead 0.125

1963 (floor only) Tin 0.04

1963 (floor only) Cadmium 0.04

1963 (floor only) Copper 0.01

Mid-1990s Stainless steel 0.03

Subsequent improvements to the shielded counting room, detectors, and counting geometries are 

described below. The shielded room was used to conduct all in vivo measurements at ORNL until 

1992, when a Canberra scanning bed counter (SBC) was installed in Room 16 of Building 2008. 

A discussion with Berger (Fleming 2004b), who was responsible for the facility from the mid-1970s 

until the early 1980s, indicated that although the facility was in operation, a formal in vivo monitoring 

program was not in place until the late 1980s. Before that time, the WBC facility was used almost 

exclusively to either confirm known or suspected intakes of radioisotopes or for research purposes. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 22 of 73

Selection of individuals for counting was performed by field health physics personnel based on 

expected contaminants of concern and the probability of exposure until the early 1990s, when the 

selection of individuals for in vivo monitoring became the responsibility of the Internal Dosimetry staff. 

5.4.2 Detectors, Geometries, and Techniques

As described above, the initial in vivo counter at ORNL used a 4- by 4-in. NaI(Tl) crystal and a tilted 

chair counting arrangement (Morgan 1961). In July 1961, counting activities in the WBC facility were 

suspended to modify the detector arrangement with the installation of an 8- by 4-in. NaI(Tl) crystal to 

replace the smaller detector to increase efficiency and reduce counting times. In 1962, several thin 

(5-in.-diameter by 0.0625-in.) NaI(Tl) crystals were installed in the facility to quantify low-energy 

photons (e.g., mainly isotopes of plutonium). Also in that year, calibration studies were conducted 

using an arc-shaped geometry. This geometry was expected to result in less variation in counting 

efficiency than the chair geometry. (The arc geometry placed an individual laying in an arced position 

with the anterior portion of the body facing the detector at a distance of about 1 m, so each portion of 

the body was approximately the same distance from the detector (Mani 1983). 

Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness (1963) indicated that the thin crystal detectors could see 

approximately 40 nCi of 238Pu if there was a preexposure chest count. If there was no preexposure 

count, the detection capability was approximately 80 nCi. In 1963, an SBC replaced the chair 

geometry using the 8- by 4-in. NaI(Tl) crystal for whole-body counting. The bed and individual were 

moved under the stationary detector. This geometry was used to determine roughly the part of the 

body in which the gamma-emitting radioisotopes were located. The detection efficiency was 

approximately equivalent to that of the chair geometry (Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness 1963). 

Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness (1963) noted that the computer output provided a “gross” spectrum 

as well as having the ability to “strip the 40K and 137Cs background counts.” Several spectra observed 

during that period indicated a large portion of the “net” spectra with negative values. Morgan, Snyder, 

and Struxness (1964) noted that in March 1963 “written weekly reports of in vivo counting activities 

and results was begun.” The research to generate this document did not find any of these weekly 

reports. 

Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness (1965) reported that “Baseline counts on essentially every person 

with a potential for future exposure was completed in May 1965.” By the third week of May 1965, a 

prioritizing system for selecting individuals for whole-body counting was initiated. Table 5-12 

describes this system. Although several located documents stated that baseline and specified 

monitoring frequencies were used to make in vivo measurements, Fleming (2004b) indicated that a 

full in vivo monitoring program did not exist at ORNL until approximately 1994, when site internal 

dosimetrists became responsible for identifying personnel for counting. Before that time, the area 

health physicists selected individuals for in vivo monitoring. The area health physicists were 

responsible for determining radioisotopes to which the worker could have been exposed and counting 

frequencies. This led to inconsistent approaches to the selection of individuals for monitoring. 

Table 5-12. 1965 selection criteria for whole-body counting. 

Priority Selection criteria

1 Persons suspected of having sustained exposure

2 Persons being recounted as follow-up to initial elevated in vivo results

3 Persons who work directly with radioactive material (once every 3 mo)

4 Persons who work in areas where radioactive materials are handled, but do not work directly with 

the material (once every 6 mo)

5 New hires or other persons requiring a baseline count and a limited number of persons prior to 

termination

Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness (1966) indicated that the “job of determining which employees should 

be counted, the frequency with which they should be recounted, and preparing the necessary 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 23 of 73

schedule cards and lists is requiring more time than had been anticipated.” For this reason, the WBC 

facility was still being used to verify if intakes had taken place rather than for routine monitoring of site 

personnel. A new Health Physics Division Report (Morgan, Snyder, and Davis 1967) begun in 1966 

included data on numbers of in vivo counts and basic statistics for in vivo monitoring. It included 

numbers of individuals whose results exceeded the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) reporting 

level (50% of the permissible body burden averaged over the year) or some other specified amount. 

Table 5-13 summarizes this information. NOTE: The use of annual averages could be misleading in 

cases involving short-lived or rapidly cleared materials. Mani (1983, Table 15) provided similar data 

but reported all in vivo counts that exceeded specified levels rather than annual averages. Table 5-14 

lists this information. 

Table 5-13. Qualitative information concerning radioactive material detected using the WBC facility 

from 1966 to 1983. 

Year

Number of persons exceeding the permissible body burden 

(based upon in vivo measurements)

1966a 0 persons exceeded 50% of permissible body burden

1967a 0 persons exceeded 50% of permissible body burden

1968a 0 persons exceeded 50% of permissible body burden

1969a 0 persons exceeded 50% of permissible body burden

1970b 0 persons exceeded 25% of permissible body burden

1971b 0 persons exceeded 25% of permissible body burden

1972b 0 persons exceeded 25% of permissible body burden

1973b 0 persons exceeded 25% of permissible body burden

1974b 2 (employees inhaled Cm-244 believed to range from 20 (15 pCi) to 40% (30 pCi) of organ (lung) 

burden)

1975b 4 (1 - Cm-244 of ~50%, 1 – U-238 of <15%, 1 – Zn-65 and Co-57 of <15%, and 1 – Co-60 of <15% of 

lung burden)

1976b 6 (all six appear to have had detectable amounts of Cm-244 of <15% of the lung burden)

1977b 20 (8 – 239Pu and 241Am of <25%, 8 – 137Cs, 60Co, 153Gd, and 109Cd of <15%, and 4 – 125I and 123Te 

<25% of the lung burden)

1978b 6 (1 - Pu-241 and Am-241 of ~70% (lung), 1 – 131I-131 minor amount that could not be quantified 

(thyroid), and 4 – Co-60 of <25% (lung)

1979b 0 persons exceeded 25% of permissible lung burden

1980b 0 persons exceeded 10% of permissible lung burden

1981b 0 persons exceeded 10% of permissible lung burden

1982b 0 persons exceeded 10% of permissible lung burden

1983b 0 persons exceeded 10% of permissible lung burden

a. The AEC permissible level was 50% of the permissible body burden from 1966 through 1969.

b. From 1970, ORNL indicated in reports that in vivo measurements did not exceed specified amounts.

Table 5-15 summarizes the maximum activity measured through in vivo monitoring for various 

nuclides for the period from 1961 to 1966. 

The results for a given in vivo analysis contained the following information: name, badge number (or 

equivalent), division code, health physics area, date, analysis code, and results code. Table 5-8 lists 

result codes for the period before 1978. The reason for the analysis was given. The ORNL Division 

codes are the same as those listed in Tables 5-4 and 5-5. [NOTE: The ICRP Publication 2 

methodology of reporting percentages of body or lung burdens (ICRP 1959) was used at ORNL 

through 1983.] AEC Manual Chapter 0502 required “an evaluation of the radiation exposure status of 

an employee when monitoring techniques indicated that a body burden equaled or exceeded 50% of 

a maximum permissible limit”. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 24 of 73

Table 5-14. Qualitative information concerning radioactive material detected using the WBC facility through 1978 (Mani 1983). 

Count 

year

Insignificant 

and 

indeterminate

Significant and 

indeterminate

<15% 

of MPOB

Normal 

spectrum

<10/25% 

of MPOBa 

<25% 

of MPOB

<50% 

of MPOB

>50% 

of MPOB

<100% 

of MPOB

>100% 

of MPOB

Total 

counts

1962 59 9 3 71

1963 906 15 921

1964 1,485 6 20 13 31 1,555

1965 1,111 16 8 23 11 1,169

1966 632 11 12 28 13 696

1967 918 13 6 25 4 966

1968 815 135 12 6 968

1969 905 126 8 18 1,057

1970 499 14 2 1 2 518

1971 310 4 9 1 324

1972 255 4 259

1973 321 1 3 325

1974 246 2 8 3 6 7 6 278

1975 297 23 5 4 1 330

1976 215 6 29 3 1 254

1977 256 14 15 5 1 291

1978 257 12 30 3 3 1 306

Total 2,157 62 103 7,330 360 71 128 62 8 7 10,288

a. 10% before 1971 and 25% from 1971 to 1978.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 25 of 73

Table 5-15. Maximum measured in vivo activity (nCi) from 1961 to 

1966. 

Isotope 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966

Na-24 140

Sc-46 4

Cr-51 320 42 Tracea

Co-56 15

Co-57 65

Co-58 20 38 Trace

Fe-59 40 15

Co-60 80 13 2 220 5 12

Co-64 <5

Zn-65 40 3 16 Trace

Se-75 250

Sr-90 40 4,500 800 626

Zr-95/Nb-95 30 11 14 47 18 39

Ru-106/Rh-106 131 47 200 30

Sb-125 162 6 18

I-131 12 200 28b 73 54 6

Cs-137 440 360 570 310 104 92

Ce-144/Pr-144 30 <7 75 50

Eu-155 Trace

Au-198

Hg-203 800 0.0005 169 22

Ra-226 <5 <0.5c

Pa-233 2,800

U (enriched) Trace Trace

a. Trace is not defined within any of the annual reports, but is provided here to 

give a qualitative “feel” for the amount present.

b. Thyroid.

c. Micrograms.

Since 1989, each in vivo measurement showing a positive result has been assessed, including 

making estimates of intake and dose. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Internal Dosimetry 

Program Technical Basis Document (McLaughlin 2002) states that dose estimates of less than 1 

mrem were reported as zero. The overwhelming number of in vivo measurements obtained at the 

facility indicate no elevated activity. 

Mani (1983) indicated that a NaI-CsI phoswich detector was installed and operational in 1967, 

although Brown, Patterson, and Abee (1971) state, “The several detectors used for measuring 

gamma radiation from the human body are all NaI(Tl) crystals.” The 1974 annual report of the Health 

Physics Division (Auxier, Davis, and Turner 1975) stated that a phoswich detector was in place and 

apparently was installed between 1971 and 1974, but no other information was found stating when 

the detector was placed in the WBC facility. A 9- by 9-in. NaI(Tl) crystal was installed in the WBC 

facility in 1974 (Auxier, Davis, and Turner 1975) and placed under the chest area of the counting bed. 

This detector was used for stationary chest counts. [A statement in Brown, Patterson, and Abee

(1971) indicated that a distortion of the spectrum occurred if the large detector was used with the bed 

moving. Thus, it was not used for whole-body scans.] The whole-body scans performed during this 

period used the 8- by 4-in. detector at a distance of 12 in. from the bed surface and an elapsed 

counting time of 20 minutes. (If transuranic isotopes were suspected, the thin crystal assembly was 

used.) Stationary chest counts used either the 8- by 4-in. or thin crystal assembly in contact with the 

chest depending on what contaminants were expected. When the 9- by 9-in. NaI(Tl) crystal was used 

the individual was positioned either face-up or -down on the bed and the bed was lowered just shy of 

contact with the face of the large detector. The time to conduct stationary chest counts typically 

ranged from 10 to 40 minutes and sometimes longer to ensure “better counting statistics” (Brown, 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 26 of 73

Patterson, and Abee 1971). The arc-counting geometry was described in Brown, Patterson, and 

Abee (1971) with the 8- by 4-in. detector positioned 6 ft above the center point of the counting bed. 

This geometry differs from that described in Mani’s assessment of ORNL internal dosimetry data 

(Mani 1983). The counting bed was placed on the floor with the ends supported to give the proper 

curvature. This geometry was intended for use only when the count rate was too high for the 

scanning or stationary chest counting methods. (No evidence of the arc-counting geometry actually 

being used was noted in the references reviewed in the generation of this document.) 

In addition to the NaI(Tl) detectors described above, Brown, Patterson, and Abee (1971) indicated 

that three other detectors were in use in the counting room in 1971. A 3- by 3-in. NaI crystal was 

used to measure radiation emanating from specific organs (e.g., mainly for the thyroid, kidneys, liver, 

and spleen). Because of its smaller size, it could be placed directly over the organ of interest. Two 

other NaI crystals were employed in the WBC Facility as wound probes: 2 by 2 in. and 1 by 

0.03125 in., with the latter used to measure low-energy photons less than about 200 keV. 

The next bulk sources of information describing instruments and procedures in the WBC Facility were

provided by Berger and Goans (1981), Berger and Lane (1981, 1982, 1984), and Fleming (2004b). 

Fleming (2004b) indicated that use of the phoswich detector began in late 1976 to early 1977. Until 

that time, the three thin NaI(Tl) crystal detector assembly was in use for detection of low-energy 

photons. The phoswich detector had the following dimensions: 5.25 by 0.0625 in. NaI - 2 in. CsI. 

Mani (1983) indicates that in 1978, an 80-cm2 HPGe counting array was in the WBC facility, but it was 

not fully operational until May 1980 (Berger and Lane 1981). The array consisted of six separate 

detectors in an aluminum block in a close-packed rectangular array (e.g., a six-die pattern) designed 

to cover one lung (Berger and Lane 1981). The phoswich and HPGe detectors were used together 

from the early 1980s to obtain lung count data; they were positioned over the right and left lungs, 

respectively. Berger and Lane (1984) indicated that there were problems with getting all the HPGe 

detectors positioned close to the chest surface due to the construction of the aluminum block. 

Detectors on the chest surface were almost a factor of 3 more sensitive than those farther away from 

the chest. This lung count geometry was used until approximately 1987, when problems developed 

with the HPGe/liquid nitrogen feed system. At that time, the HPGe detector array was taken out of 

service, and the phoswich detector was the only device used for routine chest counts until 1994. 

In 1992, a Nuclear Data SBC was put in service, primarily to measure mixed fission and activation 

products ranging in energy between 100 and 2,000 keV; it is in use today. This counter is in Room 16 

of Building 2008, and is the only in vivo monitoring device outside the shielded counting room (Watts 

et al. 1995). It has three germanium detectors facing downward and two NaI detectors on the sides of 

the bed. As described below, it can also be used as a backup chest counter, if necessary, due to its 

3%- to 50% efficient germanium detectors (Watts et al. 1995). The detectors are in a solid center 

shield. The shield is designed so there is a minimum of 4 in. of lead around each detector. 

During this time, the 5.25- by 0.0625-in. NaI - 2-in. CsI phoswich detector was used to conduct chest 

counts. Sometime between 1977 and 1994, another phoswich detector with similar dimensions was 

procured and used until three 70% efficient germanium detectors were installed in the counting room 

in 1994. A chair counting geometry was reinitiated at that time, with the individual reclined 45 degrees 

from the vertical. The three germanium detectors are positioned with two detectors over the right lung 

(one over the upper portion and the other over the lower portion) and one over the left lung. The third 

detector is over the upper portion of the left lung. 

In addition to the above, there are three other detector arrangements in the WBC facility. A 

germanium thyroid counter can be set up using one of the detectors used for lung counting. The 

individual is in the same chair used for lung counting, but the chair is inclined at a 25-degree angle. 

Other organ-specific geometries can be used as necessary (skull, liver, hand, etc.). The 5.25- by 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 27 of 73

0.0625-in. NaI - 2-in. CsI phoswich and the SBC (in a fixed-bed position) are backup systems that can

be used for lung counts if needed. 

Until 1994, field health physicists selected individuals for in vivo monitoring. At that time, the internal 

dosimetry group became responsible for the selection of personnel for in vivo monitoring with 

guidance from field health physicists. Fleming (2004b) indicated that the in vivo monitoring program 

might not have been effective for monitoring ORNL personnel until the late 1980s because of reliance 

on field health physicists to determine the individuals to be monitored. 

5.4.3 Cesium Counting Artifact

Many ORNL workers had measured body burdens from intakes of 137Cs from nonoccupational 

sources (e.g., fallout and consumption of local venison). At present, ORNL uses a value of 20 nCi 

137Cs in a whole-body count for consumers of venison as the decision level to follow up or conduct a 

dose assessment (McLaughlin 2002). However, the Laboratory has never used it to negate an 

individual’s occupational dose that was received on the site. 

Fallout affects everyone in North America, and body burdens of 137Cs measurable in whole-body 

counters were common in the 1960s and 1970s. National Council on Radiological Protection and 

Measurements (NCRP) Report 94 provides mean body burdens of 137Cs for the United States for the 

years most likely to produce interference with occupational whole-body count results (NCRP 1988). 

Table 5-16 lists these values. 

Table 5-16. Mean body burdens of 137Cs from fallout in the 

United States (NCRP 1988). 

Year Body burden (nCi) Year Body burden (nCi)

1953 0.27 1966 9.7

1954 1.1 1967 5.6

1955 2.2 1968 3.5

1956 4.3 1969 2.7

1957 5.1 1970 2.7

1958 6.5 1971 2.7

1959 8.1 1972 2.7

1960 6.8 1973 2.7

1961 4.6 1974 1.6

1962 6 1975 1.1

1963 11 1976 1.6

1964 19 1977 1.1

1965 16

5.4.4 Minimum Detectable Activity

As stated above, the thin (5-in.-diameter by 0.0625-in.) NaI(Tl) crystal array used in 1963 to detect 

low-energy photons emitted primarily from transuranic elements could detect approximately 40 nCi of 

238Pu, if there had been a preexposure chest count. If there was no preexposure count, the detection 

capability was approximately 80 nCi (Morgan, Snyder, and Struxness 1963).

Table 5-17 lists MDAs for the HPGe array of six individual detectors in the aluminum block (used 

around early- to mid-1980s).

Tables 5-18, 5-19, and 5-20 list MDA values for the ORNL SBC, germanium thyroid counter, and fixed 

bed counter, respectively (Watts et al. 1995). MDA values were calculated for each individual 

measurement made using the germanium lung counter, SBC, and fixed bed counter. Figure 5-1 is a 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 28 of 73

Table 5-17. MDA values for six-detector 

HPGe array (Berger and Lane 1981).

Nuclide Organ MDA (nCi)

Pu-239 Lung 21.5

Am-241 Lung 1.1

I-125 Thyroid 0.04

Cs-137 Lung 16.4

Gd-153 Lung 0.87

Eu-152 Lung 0.71

U-233 Lung 1.42

Co-57 Lung 0.94

Table 5-18. Current MDA values for ORNL scanning bed counter (NaI/Ge) (Watts et al. 

1995).

Isotope MDA (nCi) Isotope MDA (nCi) Isotope MDA (nCi)

Cr-51 24/30 Mn-54 2.1/2.4 Co-57 4.9/5.9

Fe-59 3.9/4.5 Co-60 2.2/1.9 Zn-65 4.3/6.0

Rb-88 12/15 Y-88 1.8/1.9 Nb-95 2.1/2.7

Zr-95 3.7/4.1 Tc-99m 4.4/5.3 Ru-103 2.6/2.9

Ru-106 21/30 Cd-109 NG/224* Sn-113 3.4/4.0

Sb-124 2.2/3.1 I-131 2.7/3.1 Ba-133 3.7/4.5

I-133 2.7/2.9 Cs-134 2.2/3.0 Cs-137 2.4/2.8

Ce-139 4.3/4.6 Ba-140 9.2/9.1 La-140 2.3/2.4

Ce-141 7.7/8.4 Ce-144 36/43 Eu-152 8.5/9.7

Gd-153 21/21 Eu-154 6.1/7.2 Pb-212 6.3/7.6

Bi-214 5.8/9.8 U-235 5.9/6.1

*NG = not given. 

Table 5-19. Current MDA values for 

ORNL germanium thyroid counter.

Isotope MDA (nCi)

I-125 0.06

I-131 0.12

Table 5-20. Current MDA values for 

ORNL fixed bed counter.

Isotope MDA (nCi)

Co-60 0.31

Ce-144 6.28

plot of MDA values for different nuclides for the ORNL germanium lung counter as a function of chest 

wall thickness. Figure 5-2 shows MDA values for 238Pu and 241Am for the ORNL phoswich lung 

counter as a function of chest wall thickness. Table 5-21 lists the frequencies of in vivo counting since 

1960 and, for the various detectors, a summary of the best estimates of the applicable periods of use.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 29 of 73

Figure 5-1. Current MDA values (nCi) for ORNL germanium lung 

counter versus chest-wall thickness (cm) (Watts et al. 1995). 

241Am 238Pu

Figure 5-2. Current MDA values (nCi) for ORNL phoswich lung counter versus chest-wall thickness 

(cm) for 241Am and 238Pu (Watts et al. 1995). 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 30 of 73

Table 5-21. Frequency of in vivo monitoring. 

Monitoring type Applicable period Frequency

Lung counting

1960–1961

4- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Period of facility development – limited 

routine human counting, typically of incidents.)

1961–1962

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Development activities to change over 

to larger detector – typically incidents.)

1962 to ca. 1967–1971

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Period spent obtaining baseline counts 

onsite employees and incident counts)

1965–??

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

Frequency stated in Annual Report (see Table 5-12), but 

discussions with site personnel indicate that it was not 

consistently implemented.

ca. 1967–1971 to 1976

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl) and 9- × 9-in. 

NaI(Tl)

Large detector was added below counting table and used 

when conducting stationary lung counts only.

1962–1976

5-in.-diameter × 1/16-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Thin NaI crystals used to quantify low 

energy photons.)

Lung counting

(cont’d.)

1976–1994

5.25- × 1/16-in. NaI - 2- CsI 

phoswich

Monitoring frequency was not effectively implemented. 

This phoswich detector was used to monitor for low energy 

photons.

1980–1987

Germanium array and phoswich

Monitoring frequency was not effectively implemented. 

Detectors used together.

1992–present

combination germanium and NaI

Fixed Bed Counter is SBC in fixed position. Used only to 

measure fission and activation products (e.g., 60Co and 

144Ce) immediately after assimilation.

1994–present

Germanium system

Varies from annual to semiannual depending on exposure 

potential set by Internal Dosimetrist.

1994–present

5.25- × 1/16-in. NaI - 2- CsI 

phoswich

Phoswich detector can be used, but germanium detection 

system noted above is routinely used.

Whole-body 

counting

1960–1961

4- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Period of facility development –limited 

routine human counting, typically incidents.)

1961–1962

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

No set frequency. (Development activities to change to 

larger detector – typically incidents.)

1963–1976

8- × 4-in. NaI(Tl)

Table 5-12 selection criteria used in 1965 for WBC.

1992–present

combination germanium and NaI

SBC. Monitoring frequency implemented in 1994 to 

include annual and semiannual counts depending on 

exposure potential set by Internal Dosimetrist.

Thyroid counter 

(and other 

organs)

1963–??

3- × 3-in. NaI(Tl)

Incident counting and research. May have been used for 

frequent monitoring of workers potentially exposed to 

iodine, but this information was not found.

1994–present 

germanium (uses one of three 

germanium detectors used for 

lung counting)

Typically, site research personnel would be placed on this 

program and monitored on semiannual frequency, as well 

as persons involved in known or potential iodine intake. 

5.5 ATTRIBUTIONS AND ANNOTATIONS

Where appropriate in this document, bracketed callouts have been inserted to indicate information, 

conclusions, and recommendations provided to assist in the process of worker dose reconstruction. 

These callouts are listed here in the Attributions and Annotations section, with information to identify 

the source and justification for each associated item. Conventional References, which are provided in 

the next section of this document, link data, quotations, and other information to documents available 

for review on the Project’s Site Research Database (SRDB).
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 31 of 73

[1] Burns, Robert E. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. April 2007. 

Section 2 of this Site Profile (ORAUT 2007) provides a more detailed discussion of the key 

radionuclides workers encountered. 

[2] Burns, Robert E. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. April 2007. 

This list was compiled from queries of the database of in vitro bioassay results provided by 

ORNL.

[3] Burns, Robert E. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. April 2007. 

The system of absorption types promulgated in ICRP Publication 66 (ICRP 1994) is used for 

all inhalation dose reconstructions under EEOICPA, as this represents use of the best 

available science. Use of older solubility class information or assumptions to maximize 

committed dose could result in organ dose assessments that would not be favorable to the 

claimant. 

[4] Burns, Robert E. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. April 2007. 

These codes are from worker dosimetry records. 

[5] Burns, Robert E. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. April 2007. 

The selection of 239Pu as the default radionuclide, when the true isotopic mix is not known from

measurement, is made to ensure assessments favorable to claimants. 

[6] Varnado, Keith W. ORAU Team. Senior Health Physicist. October 2012. 

Captured documents indicated 164 urine samples for plutonium in 1945. Calculations of 1945 

plutonium MDA performed by Tom LaBone. Table 5-9 updated to incorporate a 1945 

plutonium MDA value of 3.1 dpm/d.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 32 of 73

REFERENCES

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Report for Period Ending July 31, 1966, ORNL-4007, Union Carbide Corporation, Oak Ridge 

National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, October. [SRDB Ref ID: 11561]

Morgan, K. Z., W. S, Snyder, and D. M. Davis, 1967, Health Physics and Safety Annual Report for 

1966, ORNL-4146, Union Carbide Corporation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee, August. [SRDB Ref ID: 11558] 

NCRP (National Committee on Radiological Protection and Measurements), 1988, Exposure of the 

Population in the United States and Canada from Natural Background Radiation, Report 94, 

Bethesda, Maryland. [SRDB Ref ID: 22736]

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), 2010, Radiation Exposures Covered 

for Dose Reconstructions Under Part B of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act, DCAS-IG-003, Rev. 1, Division of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 5. [SRDB Ref ID: 88929] 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 34 of 73

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), 2012, Special Exposure Cohort, 

Petition Evaluation Report Petition SEC-00189, Division of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio. [SRDB Ref ID: 119537] 

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2007, Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Site 

Description, ORAUT-TKBS-0012-2, Rev. 02, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, August 17. [SRDB Ref 

ID: 34367]

ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), 1982, Guides for Internal Exposure Monitoring, Procedure A12, in Procedures and Practices for Radiation Protection, Health Physics Manual, revised May 

15, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. [SRDB Ref ID: 12322] 

UCC (Union Carbide Corporation), 1961, Procedures and Practices for Radiation Protection, Health 

Physics Manual, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, August 4. [SRDB 

Ref ID: 12323]

Watts, J. R., J. M. Barber, J. A. Biggerstaff, and G. R. Rao, 1995, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

Internal Dosimetry Group In Vivo Monitoring Technical Basis Document, TB/IDG/WBCL-95-

R0, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, August 30. [SRDB Ref ID: 

11500]

Wirth, J. E., 1945, “Urine Specimens - Results from [name redacted],” memorandum to S. G. English, 

Clinton Laboratories, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, April 19. [SRDB Ref ID: 114346]
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 35 of 73

GLOSSARY

absorption type

Categories for materials according to their rate of absorption from the respiratory tract to the 

blood, which replaced the earlier inhalation clearance classes. Defined by the International 

Commission on Radiological Protection, the absorption types are F: deposited materials that 

are readily absorbed into blood from the respiratory tract (fast solubilization), M: deposited 

materials that have intermediate rates of absorption into blood from the respiratory tract 

(moderate rate of solubilization), and S: deposited materials that are relatively in the 

respiratory tract (slow solubilization). Also called solubility type.

activation

Creation of a different isotope by bombarding the parent isotope with neutrons, protons, or 

other types of radiation that results in the formation of a different isotope or element.

alpha radiation

Positively charged particle emitted from the nuclei of some radioactive elements. An alpha 

particle consists of two neutrons and two protons (a helium nucleus) and has an electrostatic 

charge of +2.

beta radiation

Charged particle emitted from some radioactive elements with a mass equal to 1/1,837 that of 

a proton. A negatively charged beta particle is identical to an electron. A positively charged 

beta particle is a positron.

contamination

Radioactive material in an undesired location including air, soil, buildings, animals, and 

persons.

curie

Traditional unit of radioactivity equal to 37 billion (3.7 × 1010) becquerels, which is 

approximately equal to the activity of 1 gram of pure 226Ra.

dosimeter

Device that measures the quantity of received radiation, usually a holder with radiationabsorbing filters and radiation-sensitive inserts packaged to provide a record of absorbed dose 

received by an individual.

dosimetry

Measurement and calculation of internal and external radiation doses.

fission

Splitting of the nucleus of an atom (usually of a heavy element) into at least two other nuclei 

and the release of a relatively large amount of energy. This transformation usually releases 

two or three neutrons.

fission product

(1) Radionuclides produced by fission or by the subsequent radioactive decay of 

radionuclides. (2) Fragments other than neutrons that result from the splitting of an atomic 

nucleus.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 36 of 73

gamma radiation

Electromagnetic radiation (photons) of short wavelength and high energy (10 kiloelectron-volts 

to 9 megaelectron-volts) that originates in atomic nuclei and accompanies many nuclear 

reactions (e.g., fission, radioactive decay, and neutron capture). Gamma photons are identical 

to X-ray photons of high energy; the difference is that X-rays do not originate in the nucleus.

in vitro bioassay

Measurements to determine the presence of or to estimate the amount of radioactive material 

in the excreta or in other biological materials removed from the body.

in vivo bioassay

Measurements of radioactive material in the human body utilizing instrumentation that detects 

radiation emitted from the radioactive material in the body.

ionizing radiation

Radiation of high enough energy to remove an electron from a struck atom and leave behind a 

positively charged ion. High enough doses of ionizing radiation can cause cellular damage. 

Ionizing particles include alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, X-rays, neutrons, 

high-speed electrons, high-speed protons, photoelectrons, Compton electrons, 

positron/negatron pairs from photon radiation, and scattered nuclei from fast neutrons.

isotope

One of two or more atoms of a particular element that have the same number of protons 

(atomic number) but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei (e.g., 234U, 235U, and 238U). 

Isotopes have very nearly the same chemical properties.

neutron

Basic nucleic particle that is electrically neutral with mass slightly greater than that of a proton. 

There are neutrons in the nuclei of every atom heavier than normal hydrogen.

nucleus

Central core of an atom, which consists of positively charged protons and, with the exception 

of ordinary hydrogen, electrically neutral neutrons. The number of protons (atomic number) 

uniquely defines a chemical element, and the number of protons and neutrons is the mass 

number of a nuclide. The plural is nuclei.

nuclide

Stable or unstable isotope of any element. Nuclide relates to the atomic mass, which is the 

sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. A radionuclide is an 

unstable nuclide.

radiation

Subatomic particles and electromagnetic rays (photons) with kinetic energy that interact with 

matter through various mechanisms that involve energy transfer.

radioactivity

Property possessed by some elements (e.g., uranium) or isotopes (e.g., 14C) of spontaneously 

emitting energetic particles (electrons or alpha particles) by the disintegration of their atomic 

nuclei. 

radionuclide 

Radioactive nuclide. See radioactivity and nuclide. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 37 of 73

rem

Traditional unit of radiation dose equivalent that indicates the biological damage caused by 

radiation equivalent to that caused by 1 rad of high-penetration X-rays multiplied by a quality 

factor. The sievert is the International System unit; 1 rem equals 0.01 sievert. The word 

derives from roentgen equivalent in man; rem is also the plural.

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

Federal agency created in 1946 to assume the responsibilities of the Manhattan Engineer 

District (nuclear weapons) and to manage the development, use, and control of nuclear energy 

for military and civilian applications. The U.S. Energy Research and Development 

Administration and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission assumed separate duties from 

the AEC in 1974. The U.S. Department of Energy succeeded the U.S. Energy Research and 

Development Administration in 1979.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION TITLE PAGE

A.1 Recovery of Historical Data ................................................................................................... 39

A.1.1 Data Description......................................................................................................... 39

A.1.2 Data Classification...................................................................................................... 40

A.1.3 Synopsis of Recovered Data ...................................................................................... 40

A.2 Calculation Method for Sample MDAs.................................................................................... 41

A.2.1 Standard Deviation of Background Counts ................................................................. 43

A.2.2 Background Count Time............................................................................................. 43

A.2.3 Instrument Efficiency .................................................................................................. 43

A.2.4 Yield ........................................................................................................................... 44

A.2.5 Volume of Aliquot Analyzed........................................................................................ 44

A.2.6 Volume of 24-Hour Sample ........................................................................................ 44

A.3 Calculation Method for MDAs for Various Periods Between 1945 and 1988 .......................... 44

A.4 Additional Considerations....................................................................................................... 45

A.5 Calculation Method for Sample MDAs – 1945 Plutonium ....................................................... 45

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE

A-1 Data used to determine historical MDAs for radionuclides in urine and feces......................... 41

A-2 MDAs calculated from recovered data for radionuclides......................................................... 46

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 1 of 36
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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

A-1 MDA data for 241Am in urine ................................................................................................... 47

A-2 MDA data for 244Cm in urine ................................................................................................... 48

A-3 MDA data for 137Cs in urine .................................................................................................... 50

A-4 MDA data for gross alpha in urine.......................................................................................... 51

A-5 MDA data for gross beta in urine............................................................................................ 53

A-6 MDA data for 3

H in urine ........................................................................................................ 54

A-7 MDA data for 147Pm in urine ................................................................................................... 56

A-8 MDA data for 238Puin urine ..................................................................................................... 57

A-9 MDA data for 239Pu in urine .................................................................................................... 59

A-10 MDA data for 241Pu in urine .................................................................................................... 60

A-11 MDA data for rare earths in urine ........................................................................................... 62

A-12 MDA data for 90Sr in urine ...................................................................................................... 63

A-13 MDA data for 233U in urine...................................................................................................... 65

A-14 MDA data for 238U in urine...................................................................................................... 66

A-15 MDA data for 241Am in feces................................................................................................... 68

A-16 MDA data for gross alpha in feces ......................................................................................... 69

A-17 MDA data for 239Pu in feces.................................................................................................... 71

A-18 MDA data for 232Th in feces.................................................................................................... 72

A.1 RECOVERY OF HISTORICAL DATA 

A large amount of raw bioassay data exists at the ORNL complex. A portion of these data was 

transcribed into an electronic database hosted on ORNL equipment and maintained by ORNL 

personnel.

As part of this dose reconstruction effort, this database was queried for historical urinalysis records on 

October 30, 2003. A supplemental query was performed on December 12, 2003. These queries 

requested information on the samples and the instrumentation used in the analysis. No personal 

information or individual dose results were requested or received.

These database queries generated 66,204 records from the period between 1945 and 1988. These 

records were compiled into a single database. A data validation and comment field was added to 

each record. Then the records were examined and classified according to usability. 

Further NIOSH data capture identified 164 plutonium urine samples taken from February 1945 

through May 28, 1945, and include some control samples (Wirth 1945). These 1945 plutonium 

samples were not identified within the electronic database records. These records were also 

evaluated separately [3] using the MDA calculational methods described in LaBone (2012) and are 

not included in Attachment A with the exception of Section A.5.

A.1.1 Data Description

The database queries retrieved 17 parameters from the ORNL internal dosimetry database:

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 40 of 73

• NUCLIDE – A unique abbreviated identifier for specific nuclides. 

• SAMPLEID – A unique identifier for individual samples. 

• SAMPLETYPE – A one-character identifier designating the type of sample (urine, fecal, etc.). 

• ALIQUOTVOL – The volume or mass of the sample analyzed. 

• SAMPLEVOL – The sample volume or mass collected. 

• COUNTDATE – The date the aliquot was counted. 

• STARTEDATE – The date sample processing began. 

• STOPDATE – The date sample processing ended. 

• RECOVERY – The chemical yield, in percent. 

• EFFICIENCY – The detector’s counting efficiency, in percent. 

• EFF_FACTOR – The reciprocal of the detector’s counting efficiency. 

• COUNTMIN – The sample count time, in minutes. 

• T_BKG_RATE – The total background count rate, in counts per minute. 

• BKG_MIN – The background count time, in minutes. 

• BKG_RGNT_R – The count rate of any reagent used. 

• BKG_COUNTS – The number of background counts. 

• MDA – The minimum detectable activity. 

A.1.2 Data Classification

The 66,204 individual records in the database were classified into one of four categories:

• Duplicate Records - 272 duplicate records were found. These were marked with a “D” in the 

record’s validation field.

• Usable without Modification - 58,972 of the records collected (89%) were usable without 

qualification. 

• Usable with Modification - Some of the records collected contained input errors that were 

easily identified. Examples include a nuclide entry of C-137, instrument efficiencies listed in 

fractions instead of percent, and dates from the turn of the century. Other information in the 

database enabled correction of some of these records. Such modifications were designated 

by placing an “M” in the records validation field and entering the reason for the change in the 

comment field. These records comprise 3% (2,193) of the database.

• Unusable Records - 4,767 of the records recovered (7%) were determined to be unusable in 

their present form. Most of these records are incomplete or contain gross errors. These were 

marked with an “R” in the validation field. An explanation for a record’s rejection was entered 

in the comment field.

The resulting database provided all the raw data used to determine the MDAs of radionuclides in 

urinalysis calculated in this attachment.

A.1.3 Synopsis of Recovered Data

The database queries recovered 61,165 usable records. Of these, 59,288 are clearly records of 

urinalyses and 1,859 are records of fecal analyses. Special analyses made up the remaining 18 

records. Seventy-five different analyte labels are listed, although some are clearly different names for 

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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the same analyte (e.g. GA, GAO, and G_ALPHA are all gross alpha measurements). Table A-1 lists 

the recorded analyses performed by radionuclide. 

A.2 CALCULATION METHOD FOR SAMPLE MDAS

Equations A-1 and A-2 show the derivation of the estimated MDA, which was calculated from 61,165 

analytical records. MDAs were calculated using the method in Brodsky (1992):

+ × =  

×    

3 4.65 (counts)

counts × 24-hr sample (min) disintegration

b

b

SD MDA

T k

(A-1)

where

MDA = minimum detectable activity (dpm/24-hr sample)

SDb = standard deviation of the total background counts (cpm) 

Tb = duration of the background count (min)

k = calibration factor (counts × 24-hr sample/disintegration) 

   = × ×              

counts × 24-hr sample counts (mL)

disintegration disintegration mL

24-hr sample

a

r

V k InstrEff Yield

V

(A-2)

where:

InstrEff = instrument efficiency (counts/disintegration) 

Yield = fractional chemical recovery

Va = volume of the aliquot analyzed (milliliters for urine, grams for feces) 

Vr = volume of the sample submitted, or the volume of a standard 24-hr sample from 

Reference Man (1,400 mL/24-hr sample for urine, 135 g/24-hr sample for feces) 

(ICRP Publication 23 [ICRP 1975] default values for 24-hr voids), whichever is 

larger

Table A-1. Data used to determine historical 

MDAs for radionuclides in urine and feces. 

Nuclide Fecal Urinalysis Row totals

Totals 1,859 59,288 61,147

Alpha 1 3 4

Am-241 130 5,540 5,670

Am-243 6 6 12

As-74 7 7

BG 2 2

Bk-249 2 12 14

Br-82 2 2

Br-83 2 2

C-14 11 11

Ca-45 4 4

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Nuclide Fecal Urinalysis Row totals

Ce-144 4 33 37

Cf-249 2 1 3

Cf-252 3 11 14

Cl-36 1 1

Cm-242 1 11 12

Cm-244 26 273 299

Co-60 2 81 83

Cs-134 1 1

Cs-137 4 3,557 3,561

Fe-59 1 8 9

GA 69 1,875 1,944

G-alpha 6 6

GAO 154 2,771 2,925

GB 278 278

GBO 46 46

H-3 2,070 2,070

I-131 41 41

Mn-54 2 2

Mo-99 1 1

Na-24 3 3

Nb-95 3 3

Np-237 1 54 55

P-32 166 166

Pa-231 1 54 55

Pa-233 3 13 16

Pa-234 1 1

Pb-210 2 2

Pm-147 16 64 80

Po-210 9 57 66

Pu-238 4 61 65

Pu-239 124 15,352 15,476

Pu-241 1 111 112

Pu-242 41 41

Ra-226 1 332 333

Ra-228 1 1

RE 39 698 737

Ru-103 1 1

Ru-106 65 65

S-35 10 10

Sb-125 1 1

Sm-151 11 11

Sr-85 1 1

Sr-89 37 37

Sr-90 142 12,751 12,893

T 1 1

Tc-99 19 19

Th-232 1,079 46 1,125

Tl-201 1 1

Tl-204 1 1

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Nuclide Fecal Urinalysis Row totals

Tm-170 1 5 6

TPU 1 1

TRE 2 197 199

TRE B 1 1

Nuclide Fecal Urinalysis Row totals

TRE-B 4 4

U-232 1 1

U-233 3 826 829

U-235 3 3

U-238 25 11,409 11,434

U-239 11 11

Y+RE 157 157

Y-88 5 5

Y-90 31 31

Zn-65 7 7

Zr-95 1 19 20

To use this equation one must know, or be able to calculate, the standard deviation of background 

counts, the duration of the count, the yield of any chemical extractions used, the efficiency of the 

detector used, and the amount of the sample analyzed. The method of recovering this information 

from the historical database is discussed in the following sections.

A.2.1 Standard Deviation of Background Counts

The data field BKG_COUNTS contained recorded background counts for a sample and was the 

preferred source of background count information. When a record’s BKG_COUNTS field was blank, 

the background count information was calculated as the product of the T_BKG_RATE and BKG_MIN 

fields. If the BKG_MIN field was blank, but the T_BKG_RATE field contained a value, the background 

count information was calculated as the product of the T_BKG_RATE and COUNTMIN fields.

The variability in repeat counts, such as background counts, follows the Poisson distribution (Evans 

1955, Chapter 26). It is a property of the Poisson distribution that its standard deviation is the square 

root of its mean value. Therefore, in this analysis, the standard deviation of the total background 

counts was calculated as the square root of the total background counts.

A.2.2 Background Count Time

The data field BKG_MIN contained the recorded background count time for a sample and was the 

preferred source of background count time information. If the BKG_MIN field was blank, the time in 

the COUNTMIN field was used. This last method of estimating the background count time is likely to 

be favorable to claimants because in almost all cases where there is paired data, the COUNTMIN 

value is less than the BKG_MIN value. This produces a higher MDA when substituted into 

Equation 1.

A.2.3 Instrument Efficiency 

Information on instrument efficiencies was contained in two fields. The EFFICIENCY field contained 

the percent of disintegrations detected by the instrument. The EFF_FACTOR field contained the 

reciprocal of the EFFICIENCY field.

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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A.2.4 Yield

The chemical yield for a given radiochemical analysis was contained in the RECOVERY data field. 

This value was given in percent recovery. 

Many of the records had blank recovery fields. However, due to the repetitive nature of the chemical 

extractions used, application of an average, radionuclide-specific, chemical recovery to records with 

no recovery value was judged to be acceptable. This approach is supported further by the lack of 

variability observed in daily runs on known standards recorded in laboratory logbooks recovered from 

the late-1950s through the mid-1970s.

A.2.5 Volume of Aliquot Analyzed

The ALIQUOTVOL field usually contained a value for the amount of material subjected to 

radioanalysis. When this field was blank, it was assumed that the entire sample provided was used in 

the analysis. The amount of the sample was recorded in the SAMPLEVOL field.

A.2.6 Volume of 24-Hour Sample

Excretion rates and concentrations vary greatly within a 24-hr period and between individuals. The 

models developed for calculating intakes from in vitro analyses are based on 24-hr samples. The 

daily urine excretion rate is 1,400 mL/24-hr sample; for feces, this value is 135 g/24-hr sample.

Often, the volume analyzed (Va) was less than the reference excretion rate from Reference Man. 

When this was observed, the calculated activity in the sample was normalized to the Reference Man 

volume to compensate. This adjustment increased the MDA and, therefore, would be favorable to 

claimants. 

A.3 CALCULATION METHOD FOR MDAS FOR VARIOUS PERIODS BETWEEN 1945 AND 

1988

Once the MDAs were calculated for individual samples, they were segregated by radionuclide and 

imported into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Using Excel, the values were plotted for visual 

inspection. Figures A-1 through A-18 at the end of this attachment show plots of data the was 

obtained and calculated for the following radioisotopes: (urine) 241Am, 244Cu, 137Cs, gross alpha, gross 

beta, 3

H, 147Pm, 238Pu, 239Pu, 241Pu, rare earths, 90Sr, 233U, 238U, and (feces) 241Am, gross alpha, 239Pu, 

232Th. In the first plot, the MDA values were plotted against the date of their analysis. This provided a 

visual representation of individual MDAs over time. The density of the available data and a gross 

approximation of typical sample MDAs for a given period were quickly observed using this format.

Two bar charts were created for each radionuclide. One shows the annual average MDAs between 

1945 and 1988. The other shows the number of analytical results recovered for each year in the 

same period. These two charts provide additional information on gross trends exhibited by sample 

MDAs, and on the temporal distribution of the data.

These visual aids were used to establish general periods during which sample MDAs were similar. 

The sample MDAs in these periods were grouped as similar populations. Using Excel’s statistical 

functions, the following statistical parameters for each group of samples were determined:

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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• The population size, 

• The 50th-percentile value of the population,

• The population’s arithmetic mean, 

• The arithmetic standard deviation of the population, and

• The 95% confidence level on the mean. 

The 95% confidence levels on the mean for each radionuclide are the recommended MDAs for that 

radionuclide during the period evaluated.

A.4 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The recovered data indicate the analytical MDAs tended to remain fairly consistent for years. Abrupt 

changes in the MDAs were identified for groups of radionuclides during specific years. After the 

change, the MDAs remained generally consistent in the several succeeding years. This “step-wise” 

pattern allowed MDAs from several years to be grouped as one MDA for a specified period. Table 5-9 

highlights these groupings by enclosing similar MDAs in a box. 

Some MDAs changed frequently, creating a pattern of similar MDAs in short adjacent periods. When 

this occurred, the largest estimated MDA from that period was selected to be the representative MDA 

for the entire period. The tritium (3

H) MDA listed between 1968 and 1981 in Table 5-9 is an example 

of this adjustment.

Most recovered data contained isotope-specific entries in the NUCLIDE field. However, the ability to 

differentiate routinely between isotopes of the same radioelement did not always exist before 1989. 

Many of the isotopic assignments were based on process knowledge. Therefore, during the period 

before 1989, the MDAs for some isotopes are reported as the MDAs for the radioelement instead of 

the radionuclide. For example, the alpha emitters 238Pu and 239Pu are reported separately in the 

database. They have been combined in this TBD as plutonium. NOTE: Plutonium-241 is reported 

separately because it is a beta emitter that can be measured separately from the alpha-emitting 

isotopes of plutonium. If the recovered data did not extend to 1989, the MDA calculated from the last 

known data was extrapolated forward (see Table 5-9). 

A.5 CALCULATION METHOD FOR SAMPLE MDAS – 1945 PLUTONIUM

NIOSH data capture identified 164 plutonium urine samples taken from February 1945 through May 

28, 1945, including some control samples (Wirth 1945). The records were examined and classified 

according to usability. 

The 1945 plutonium MDAs were calculated using the method described by LaBone (2012). 

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Table A-2. MDAs (dpm/24-hr sample) calculated from recovered data for radionuclides. 

Year

Urine MDAs (dpm/24-hr sample) Fecal MDAs (dpm/24-hr sample)

Gross 

alpha

Gross 

beta

Am241Cm244Cs137 H-3I131Np237Pm147 Plutonium PoloniumPu241Ra226Rare 

earths

Ru106Sr-89 + 

Sr-90 Uranium

Gross

alpha

Am241Cm244 PlutoniumTh232

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947 0.33

1948 0.40 0.965

1949 0.34 0.998

1950 24.34 0.19 53.95 1.401 0.176

1951 29.54 0.18 33.34 0.036 22.34 3.600

1952 74.44 0.27 34.93 0.23 25.44 31.41 27.50 5.988

1953 0.17 29.49 0.19 2.98 30.45 27.01 6.196

1954 0.25 351.14 32.90 0.17 9.42 0.32 41.97 29.00 6.296

1955 0.22 960.93 26.52 0.19 33.32 0.87 0.142 26.76 6.810

1956 0.23 889.95 0.25 32.05 0.22 57.11 0.16 0.238 32.75 7.651

1957 0.69 998.73 0.44 30.61 1.07 0.39 0.80 0.272 28.08 5.257 0.055 0.072 0.226

1958 0.35 1385.09 0.42 38.61 0.26 0.19 0.34 0.255 47.99 7.423 0.728 0.537

1959 0.31 1321.55 0.35 312.8 0.10 587 0.23 0.29 331.74 0.359 36.83 5.636 0.647 0.303

1960 0.19 938.01 0.11 147.3 0.27 196 0.18 10.67 0.17 167.87 61.85 19.60 5.740 0.568 0.573

1961 0.21 290.98 42.62 71382 0.18 12.74 0.29 50.04 5.86 5.686 0.512 0.424

1962 0.32 252.50 641672 0.14 54.69 8.88 8.687 0.422

1963 0.45 146.59 72.18 393539 0.49 25.81 0.10 87.30 14.79 7.747 1.075 0.789 0.633

1964 0.24 198.28 0.57 62.09 214873 0.19 78.91 12.26 2.561 0.118 1.052

1965 0.46 140.95 0.21 0.17 55.66 124229 353.2 0.08 0.14 63.41 13.78 0.992 0.848 0.208 0.172 0.163 0.112

1966 0.12 0.16 52.71 153077 0.08 6.58 0.128 0.447 0.268

1967 0.082 0.099 75.55 150699 35718 0.08 7.30 0.405 0.769

1968 0.056 36.17 0.073 0.080 55.59 54872 1131 0.07 0.07 2.55 25.76 15.70 49.40 6.68 0.112 0.079 1.059 0.349

1969 0.066 38.82 0.099 0.082 50.80 53036 1281 0.09 23.10 0.07 31.75 7.66 56.96 46.95 4.73 0.094 0.768 0.306 0.536

1970 0.038 32.31 0.074 0.096 44.32 48763 1140 0.05 0.05 5.67 4.05 0.071 0.097 0.271 0.097

1971 37.06 0.072 49037 0.06 677 0.06 6.00 2.82 4.33 0.076 0.230 0.351

1972 0.18 0.046 75.05 45882 0.04 24.06 0.05 9.18 5.00 3.95 0.061 0.093 0.035 0.033

1973 0.10 0.039 50535 6.44 0.04 6.94 5.44 4.14 0.071 0.105 0.060

1974 0.093 46154 5.72 0.04 4.53 4.86 4.80 0.054 0.543 1.073 1.040

1975 0.040 0.032 44192 0.04 0.46 1.49 3.26 0.054 0.047 0.129 0.073 0.046

1976 0.050 0.080 46.12 45554 0.04 1.84 0.014 2.24 3.58 0.057 0.173 0.053

1977 0.037 36984 2.82 0.04 9.65 0.049 3.62 0.053 0.121 0.100

1978 0.032 0.016 31838 0.14 0.03 8.16 3.39 3.30

1979 0.030 0.046 35406 0.03 0.03 0.23 12.40 3.06 0.029 0.032

1980 0.032 0.036 48449 3.05

1981 0.015

1982

1983

1984 0.026

1985

1986 0.07

1987 0.07

1988 0.028

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 9 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 47 of 73

Figure A-1. MDA data for 241Am in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-1. MDA data for 241Am in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Am-241 MDAs in Urine

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for Am-241 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 10 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 48 of 73

Figure A-1. MDA data for 241Am in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-2. MDA data for 244

Cm in urine (part 1 of 3) (some later tables are “in 

feces”).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Am-241 in Urine 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Cm-244 MDAs in Urine

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 0.2 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 0.1

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 11 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 49 of 73

Figure A-2. MDA data for 244

Cm in urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-2. MDA data for 244

Cm in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Cm-244 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Cm-244 in Urine 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 12 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 50 of 73

Figure A-3. MDA data for 137Cs in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-3. MDA data for 137Cs in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Cs-137 MDAs in Urine

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1 E+3

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Estimated MDA For the Period

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for Cs-137 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 13 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 51 of 73

Figure A-3. MDA data for 137Cs in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-4. MDA data for gross alpha in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Cs-137 in Urine 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Gross Alpha MDAs in Urine

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 14 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 52 of 73

Figure A-4. MDA data for gross alpha in urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-4. MDA data for gross alpha in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Gross Alpha in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Gross Alpha in Urine 

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 15 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 53 of 73

Figure A-5. MDA data for gross beta in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-5. MDA data for gross beta in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Gross Beta MDAs in Urine

1 E+1

1 E+2

1 E+3

1 E+4

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for Gross Beta in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 16 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 54 of 73

Figure A-5. MDA data for gross beta in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-6. MDA data for 3

H in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Gross Beta in Urine 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated H-3 MDAs in Urine

1 E+3

1 E+4

1 E+5

1 E+6

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 17 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 55 of 73

Figure A-6. MDA data for 3

H in urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-6. MDA data for 3

H in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for H-3 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for H-3 in Urine 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 18 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 56 of 73

Figure A-7. MDA data for 147Pm in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-7. MDA data for 147Pm in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Pm-147 MDAs in Urine

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1 E+3

1 E+4

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 396 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 40

Annual Average MDAs for Pm-147 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 19 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 57 of 73

Figure A-7. MDA data for 147Pm in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-8. MDA data for 238Pu in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Pm-147 in Urine 

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Pu-238 MDAs in Urine

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 20 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 58 of 73

Figure A-8. MDA data for 238Puin urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-8. MDA data for 238Pu in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Pu-238 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Pu-238 in Urine 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 21 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 59 of 73

Figure A-9. MDA data for 239

Pu in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-9. MDA data for 239

Pu in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Pu-239 MDAs in Urine

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for Pu-239 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 22 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 60 of 73

Figure A-9. MDA data for 239

Pu in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-10. MDA data for 241Pu in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Pu-239 in Urine 

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Pu-241 MDAs in Urine

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 9.2 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 6.7

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 23 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 61 of 73

Figure A-10. MDA data for 241Pu in urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-10. MDA data for 241Pu in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Pu-241 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Pu-241 in Urine 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 24 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 62 of 73

Figure A-11. MDA data for rare earths in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-11. MDA data for rare earths in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Rare Earth MDAs in Urine

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1 E+3

1 E+4

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for Rare Earths in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 25 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 63 of 73

Figure A-11. MDA data for rare earths in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-12. MDA data for 90Sr in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Rare Earths in Urine 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Sr-90 MDAs in Urine

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1 E+3

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 26 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 64 of 73

 Figure A-12. MDA data for 90Sr in urine (part 2 of 3).

 Figure A-12. MDA data for 90Sr in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Sr-90 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Sr-90 in Urine 

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 27 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 65 of 73

Figure A-13. MDA data for 233U in urine (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-13. MDA data for 233U in urine (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated U-233 MDAs in Urine

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile

Annual Average MDAs for U-233 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 28 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 66 of 73

Figure A-13. MDA data for 233U in urine (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-14. MDA data for 238

U in urine (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for U-233 in Urine 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated U-238 MDAs in Urine

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1 E+2

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Estimated MDA For the Period

50th Percentile

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 29 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 67 of 73

Figure A-14. MDA data for 238

U in urine (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-14. MDA data for 238

U in urine (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for U-238 in Urine 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for U-238 in Urine 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 30 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 68 of 73

Figure A-15. MDA data for 241Am in feces (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-15. MDA data for 241Am in feces (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Am-241 MDAs in Feces

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 0.5 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 0.2

Annual Average MDAs for Am-241 in Feces 

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 31 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 69 of 73

Figure A-15. MDA data for 241Am in feces (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-16. MDA data for gross alpha in feces (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Am-241 in Feces 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Gross Alpha MDAs in Feces

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 0.6 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 0.4

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 32 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 70 of 73

Figure A-16. MDA data for gross alpha in feces (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-16. MDA data for gross alpha in feces (part 3 of 3).

Annual Average MDAs for Gross Alpha in Feces

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Gross Alpha in Feces

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

Page 33 of 36
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 71 of 73

Figure A-17. MDA data for 239Pu in feces (part 1 of 3).

Figure A-17. MDA data for 239Pu in feces (part 2 of 3).

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Pu-239 MDA in Feces

1 E-3

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 0.4 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 0.1

Annual Average MDAs for Pu-239 in Feces

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 72 of 73

Figure A-17. MDA data for 239Pu in feces (part 3 of 3).

Figure A-18. MDA data for 232Th in feces (part 1 of 3).

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Pu-239 in Feces

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

Visual Comparison of Data to Estimated Th-232 MDAs in Feces

1 E-2

1 E-1

1 E+0

1 E+1

1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Year

Activity (dpm/24 h sample)

Sample MDA

Est. MDA of 0.5 (95%CL on Mean)

50th Percentile of 0.3

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0012-5 Revision No. 02 Effective Date: 02/08/2013 Page 73 of 73

Figure A-18. MDA data for 232Th in feces (part 2 of 3).

Figure A-18. MDA data for 232Th in feces (part 3 of 3). 

Annual Average MDAs for Th-232 in Feces

Calculated from Recovered Data Between 1945 and 1990

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

MDA (dpm/24 h)

Number of Sample Results Recovered per Year 

Between 1945 and 1990 for Th-232 in Feces 

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990

Year

Number of Samples (N)

ATTACHMENT A

CALCULATION OF MDAs FROM HISTORICAL DATA

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