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Document Number: Battelle-TBD-6001 

Appendix B 

Effective Date: 1/03/2008 

Revision No. 1 

Site Profiles for Atomic Weapons Employers that Refined 

Uranium and Thorium 

Appendix B – DuPont Deepwater Works 

Page 1 of 10 

Document Owner: David Allen 

Approval:__ Signature on File____ Date: _1/03/2008

 J.W. Neton, Associate Director for Science 

Supersedes: Rev 0 

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS 

ISSUE 

AUTHORIZATION 

DATE 

12/18/2007 

EFFECTIVE 

DATE 

12/18/2007 

REV. NO. 

0 

DESCRIPTION 

Appendix to Battelle-TBD-6001 describing 

the use of the TBD for claims at DuPont 

Deepwater Works 

1/03/2008 1/03/2008 1 Correct error in table B.4 

DUPONT DEEPWATER WORKS 

B.1 Introduction 

This document serves as an appendix to Battelle-TBD-6001, Site Profiles for Atomic 

Weapons Employers that Refined Uranium and Thorium. This appendix describes the 

results of document research specific to this site. Where specific information is lacking, 

research into similar facilities described in the body of this Site Profile is used. 

B.2 Site Description 

DuPont Deepwater Works was a DuPont facility located in Deepwater NJ. The name of 

the facility was officially changed from “Dye Works” to “Chambers Works” on 

4/7/19445 

. 

Operations involving uranium at the DuPont Deepwater Works began early in 1942 when 

DuPont was conducting experiments with uranium hexafluoride (UF6) under contract to 

the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD). The method employed 

utilizing natural uranium oxide and converted it to uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) and then 

to uranium hexafluoride (UF6). When MED was chartered, it took over the OSRD 

contracts. DuPont operations for MED included conversion of black oxide (U3O8) and 

sodium diuranate to orange oxide (UO3) and then to brown oxide (UO2), production of 

uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) from uranium oxide (UO2 and UO3), production of uranium 

peroxide (UO42H2O) from scrap uranium for subsequent production of UO2, production 
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Appendix B 

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of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) from UF4, production of uranium metal using the 

magnesium process and various related research activities. DuPont continued its research 

activities for AEC until late 19475 . No documentation was found indicating there were 

other sources of radiation at Deepwater Works. 

B.2.1 Site Activities 

DuPont Deepwater Works conducted work on several projects for the MED. Several 

involved producing non-radioactive chemicals5 . These include project number 9595 

(under Letter Contract W-7414 Eng. 2), project number 9757 (under Letter Contract W7414 Eng. 6), and project number 9233 (under Letter Contract W-7414 Eng. 8). 

Project number 9634 was conducted under Letter Contract W-7414 Eng. 3. The letter 

contract was dated 11/20/1942 and the project was approved by DuPont’s Executive 

Committee on 12/23/1942. Construction was completed in three stages which started 

production on 2/13/1943, 4/28/1943 and 6/5/1943. The scope of work under this contract 

included converting U3O8 to UO2, converting UO2 to UF4, and converting UF4 to uranium 

metal. 

Letter Contract W-7414 Eng 3 indicated the U3O8 would be supplied by the Government. 

However, on 12/30/1942, Letter Contract W-7414 Eng. 22 was issued to direct DuPont to 

build a facility to produce the U3O8 from various types of uranium scrap. This became 

Project number 9803 and was approved by DuPont’s Executive committee on 3/31/1943. 

The 100 Section of the plant was operational on 8/16/1943 and the 200 Section of this 

plant was operational on 10/1/1943. 

The original research work was conducted at the Jefferson Lab in Building J-166 . This 

building was demolished and several feet of earth removed sometime between 1943 and 

1945. Building J-26 was eventually built at that location. 

The other two projects were located in buildings 708 and 8456 . A portion of building 708 

was demolished in 1945. The rest of the building along with several feet of earth was 

removed in 1953. A radiological survey was conducted of building 845 in 1977 and 

1983. 

B.3 Occupational Medical Dose 

No information regarding occupational medical dose specific to DuPont Deepwater 

Works was found. Information to be used in dose reconstructions for which no specific 

information is available is provided in ORAUT-OTIB-0006, the dose reconstruction 

project technical information bulletin covering diagnostic x-ray procedures. 

B.4 Occupational Internal Dose 

Air samples were collected at the Deepwater Works on various occasions at a variety of 

locations between 4/3/1944 and 6/7/1945. A total of 252 air samples were collected. 

These air samples were analyzed by assuming they fit a lognormal distribution. The 
 

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Appendix B 

Effective Date: 1/03/2008 Revision No. 1 Page 3 of 10 

geometric mean of that distribution was 181 dpm/m3

 with a geometric standard deviation 

of 5.73. These air samples included primarily operational areas but also included some 

general areas of the facility as well as operational areas while equipment was shutdown. 

The distribution would therefore not necessarily be representative of operational 

personnel. Therefore, exposure estimates will rely on three categories of workers. 

People routinely working with uranium (operators) will be given the 95th percentile of the 

air concentration distribution. People working in the vicinity but not normally operating 

equipment (Supervisors) will be given the 50th percentile of the distribution. People not 

routinely in the vicinity of the uranium will be given the 5th percentile of the distribution. 

This is summarized in the table below. 

Category Description dpm/m3 

Operators Routinely working with uranium 3199 

Supervisors Routinely in the area 181 

Clerical Not routinely in the area 10.23 

Dose calculated from these intakes are entered into IREP as alpha radiation with a 

“constant” distribution. These values will also be used to determine an ingestion intake 

per OCAS-TIB-00094 

. 

B.5 Occupational External Dose 

To estimate the external dose to workers at the Deepwater Works facility, Table 7.3 of 

the TBD will be used. This table includes dose estimates for the major tasks that where 

performed at Deepwater Works. In 1942, research into the production of uranium 

hexafluoride (UF6) was the only uranium work reported to have occurred. Therefore, for 

1942, the values for Fluorination operations will be used. For 1943 through the end of 

operations, the values for the “Boildown and Denitration” operation will be used. These 

values are larger than most other operations applicable to Deepwater. 

B.6 Residual Contamination 

Even though the last building was released to DuPont in 1949, the last decontamination 

survey (described below) was completed in late 19487 . Therefore, the operational dose 

estimates in section B.4 and B.5 will be used through 1948. After 1948, there was still 

the potential for dose from residual contamination remaining in the buildings. The dose 

estimate from this residual contamination is described below. 

The initial research conducted in 1942 at Deepwater Works was conducted in building J16. This building was demolished and several feet of earth removed sometime between 

1943 and 19456 

. 

Building 708 was partially demolished in 1945. This building was eventually shutdown, 

decontaminated and released to DuPont in 1949. The final survey of the building was 
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Document Number: Battelle-TBD6001 

Appendix B 

Effective Date: 1/03/2008 Revision No. 1 Page 4 of 10 

conducted on 12/30/1948. This survey indicated the northwest tile wall was the most 

contaminated location in the building. The survey measured beta and gamma dose rates 

along the wall at several distances from the center of the contaminated area including the 

center of the contaminated area. The measurements were taken at these locations on 

contact with the wall as well as one foot away, two feet away, four feet away, six feet 

away and twenty feet away from the wall. These measurements were conducted on all 

five floors of the building with the exception of the second and third floors. That section 

of the wall was not accessible from those floors8 

. 

The survey also recorded measurements on the floor on all five floors of the building. 

All of these measurements indicated direct alpha results of less than 500 dpm/100cm2

 and 

the highest beta gamma dose rate three feet above the floor as 0.05 mrep/hr. Building 

708 was released to DuPont and in 1953 the building was demolished and several feet of 

soil were removed. 

Building 845 was released to DuPont on 11/15/1948 after decontamination7 . The 

decontamination effort consisted of removing all apparatus, contaminated ducts, pipes, 

tanks, concrete bases, and wood floors as well as sandblasting the concrete floors. The 

whole interior was washed with water under pressure. A survey conducted on 10/6/1948 

indicated all direct alpha measurements were less than 500 dpm/100cm2 . The survey also 

indicated beta and gamma radiation levels three feet above the floor were less than 0.03 

mrep/hr9 

. 

The building remained standing and was again surveyed in 19776

 and 198310 . The 1983 

survey provided only a range of values with no indication of the average or typical 

contamination levels. The 1977 survey however, indicated average measurements as 

well as maximum measurement. This survey also indicates areas of maximum 

measurements were typically small areas. 

The survey indicated beta gamma direct contact dose rates typically around 0.1 mrad/hr 

on most floors, walls, and ceilings. These readings were not corrected for background 

radiation so they are slightly high. Every floor of the plant had higher dose rates in small 

areas. This estimate will assume a dose rate of 0.2 mrad/hr as a favorable average dose 

rate. Since this is a contact beta plus gamma dose rate, corrections must be made to 

determine a whole body gamma and whole body beta dose rate. 

As part of a test to determine the effectiveness of sandblasting, a survey was conducted in 

building 845 on 8/30/1948 and 8/31/194811 . Part of this survey measured the open 

window dose rates (beta plus gamma) from three spots on the floor. Measurements were 

taken on contact with the floor and at waist height (three feet above the floor). The 

contact readings were 2.6, 2.6, and 15 mrep/hr. The corresponding three foot readings 

were 0.5, 0.5, and 1.0 mrep/hr. These measurements imply the readings taken three feet 

above the floor were 5.2, 5.2 and 15 times lower than the contact readings. Based on this, 

this estimate will use a value of five to estimate the whole body beta plus gamma dose 

rates from the contact dose rates. Therefore, the average whole body beta plus gamma 

dose rate is assumed to be 0.04 mrad/hr. 
 

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Document Number: Battelle-TBD6001 

Appendix B 

Effective Date: 1/03/2008 Revision No. 1 Page 5 of 10 

The ratio of beta to gamma from uranium contamination can vary from one to one to as 

high as 10 to one depending on the geometry, the amount of self shielding, and a number 

of other factors. For the purposes of this appendix, the more favorable approach to the 

claimant would be to assume a one to one ratio. Therefore, this appendix will assume the 

0.04 mrad/hr is composed of a whole body gamma dose rate of 0.02 mr/hr and a beta 

whole body dose rate of 0.02 mr/hr. Skin of the extremities (hands and forearms) will be 

assumed to be exposed to the contact dose rate of 0.2 mrad per hour. 

While work schedules and locations can vary throughout a large facility such as 

Deepwater Works, a favorable assumption would be that individuals were exposed to 

these levels for 2000 hours per year. While it is recognized that some individuals would 

have worked overtime, it is also very likely they worked in other areas of the site since 

building 845 was primarily used for storage in later years. This also makes the use of 

2000 hours per year a bounding estimate. As such, this portion of the dose estimate will 

be considered a constant value with no statistical distribution. 

With these assumptions in place, this dose estimate will assume for the residual period, 

an annual whole body dose of 80 mrem. This is divided into 40 mrem deep dose and 40 

mrem shallow dose (beta). Extremities will be estimated with an annual dose of 400 

mrem assumed to be beta plus 40 mrem deep dose. 

Direct alpha contamination measurements of the floor were conducted after 

decontamination of buildings 708 and 845. These measurements indicated the values 

were less than 500 dpm/100cm2 . The 1977 survey of building 845 confirmed this was 

still the case even though isolated spots of higher contamination were also found. The 

isolated spots were primarily less than 500 cm2 in area but six spots on the first floor 

ranged up to 5000 cm2. These readings indicate fixed contamination that can not be 

easily resuspended into the air. The fact that the 1948 survey results are near the same 

values of the 1977 survey results indicates that the contamination is generally not being 

resuspended or removed in any other fashion. However, in order to account for small 

amounts of uranium that may have become airborne, a resuspension factor was applied to 

the 500 dpm/100cm2

 value. This resulted in an estimated airborne concentration of 0.05 

dpm/m3 . Again, it will be assumed that an individual was exposed to this level of 

airborne contamination for 2000 hours per year. This estimate will therefore be 

considered a bounding estimate and no statistical distribution will be associated with it. 

These values will also be used to determine an ingestion intake per OCAS-TIB-0009. 
 

 

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Document Number: Battelle-TBD6001 

Appendix B 

Effective Date: 1/03/2008 Revision No. 1 Page 6 of 10 

B.7 References 

1. DOE Office of Health, Safety and Security, EEOICPA web site. 

http://www.hss.energy.gov/healthsafety/fwsp/advocacy/faclist/findfacility.cfm 

2.	 Report on Residual Radioactive and Beryllium Contamination at Atomic Weapons 

Employer Facilities and Beryllium Vender Facilities. 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/tbd/rescon/rcontam1206.pdf 

3. NIOSH, 2007, Radiation exposures covered for Dose Reconstructions under Part B 

of the Energy employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act Rev. 0, 

OCAS-IG-003, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Office of 

Compensation Analysis and Support, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

4. NIOSH, 2004, Estimation of Ingestion Intakes Rev. 0, OCAS-TIB-009, National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Office of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

5. RefID 16272, History Chambers Works Special Construction 

6.	 RefID 6395 U.S. Department of Energy, 1978, Radiological Survey of the E.I 

DuPont DeNemours and Co., Deepwater, New Jersey, December 1978 

7.	 RefID 6410 pg 5 G. L. Ryan, 1948, Memo to B. S. Wolf regarding Contamination of 

DuPont Building, December 17, 1948 

8.	 RefID 6410 pg 1 Merril Eisenbud, 1949, Letter to E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. 

regarding Radiation Intensities in Building 708, January 18, 1949 

9.	 RefID 6410 pg 6 R.E. Ryan, 1948, Letter to B. S. Wolf regarding Contamination of 

DuPont Building, November 15, 1948 

10. RefID 6391 Bechtel National, Inc., 1983, Radiological Survey Report for the DuPont 

Chamber Works Plant Deepwater, New Jersey, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 

11. RefID 6410 pg 8 R.E. Hayden, 1948, Letter to A.R. Piecot regarding 

Decontamination of Concrete Floor at DuPont, September 9, 1948 
Document No. Battelle-TBD-6001; Appendix B Revision No. 1 Effective Date: 1/03/2008 

Table B.1 INTERNAL DOSE PATHWAYS - Inhalation of Airborne Radionuclides Assumptions: Intakes are in dpm per calendar day. 

Job Category Year 

Operation 

Phase 

Relevant 

Nuclide 

Intake 

(dpm/d) TBD Reference or Research Jus

Operators 1942-1948 Operations U234 25245 Air sample data Supervisors/Laborers 1942-1948 Operations U234 1428 Air sample data Office 1942-1948 Operations U234 81 Air sample data All 

1949 to July 

2006 Residual U234 0.329 appendix text 
Document No. Battelle-TBD-6001; Appendix B Revision No. 1 Effective Date: 1/03/2008 

Table B.2 INTERNAL DOSE PATHWAYS - Ingestion Assumptions: Intakes are in dpm per calendar day. 

Job Category Year 

Operation 

Phase 

Relevant 

Nuclide 

Intake 

(dpm/d) TBD Reference or Research Jus

Operators 1942-1948 Operations U234 438 Air sample data Supervisors/Laborers 1942-1948 Operations U234 25 Air sample data 

Office 1942-1948 Operations U234 1.4 Air sample data 

All 

1949 to July 

2006 Residual U234 .00385 appendix text 
Document No. Battelle-TBD-6001; Appendix B Revision No. 1 Effective Date: 1/03/2008 

Table B.3 EXTERNAL DOSE PATHWAYS - Whole Body 

Job Category Year 

Operation 

Phase 

Whole body 

(mr/yr) TBD Reference or Research Justification 

Plant Floor High 1942 Operations 642 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Plant Floor Low 1942 Operations 321 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Supervisor 1942 Operations 160 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Clerical 1942 Operations 16 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Plant Floor High 1943-1948 Operations 1161 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Plant Floor Low 1943-1948 Operations 583 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Supervisor 1943-1948 Operations 291 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Clerical 1943-1948 Operations 29 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 All 

1949 to July 

2006 Residual 40 Appendix Text 
Document No. Battelle-TBD-6001; Appendix B Revision No. 1 Effective Date: 1/03/2008 

Table B.4 EXTERNAL DOSE PATHWAYS - Skin Assumptions: Doses are entered into IREP as Electron >15kev These doses are in addition to the Whole Body doses in Table B.3 

Job Category 

Plant Floor High 

Year 

1942 

Operation 

Phase 

Operations 

Hand/Forearms 

(mr/yr) 

Other Skin 

(mr/yr) TBD Reference or Re

39785 3562 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Plant Floor Low 1942 Operations 19966 1781 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Supervisor 1942 Operations 9965 891 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Clerical 1942 Operations 996 89 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 

Plant Floor High 1943-1948 Operations 770 227 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Plant Floor Low 1943-1948 Operations 387 114 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Supervisor 1943-1948 Operations 193 57 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 Clerical 1943-1948 Operations 19 6 TBD-6001 Table 7.3 All 

1949 to July 

2006 Residual 400 40 Appendix Text