The Trend of Contamination in the Air, Columbia River, Rain, Sanitary Water, Vegetation, and Wastes, at the Hanford Works and Vicinity for the Period October, November, December, 1947

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nu-3 roport from thie eectlon. Tho roport $8 divldod into tbo f oll qin a topie moatloncrt tm of annly~lrri s coneldorob in tho re q eot lta sootlono of tbo roport,

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A s-y of t h e ~eterxologlcalconditions as observed and neasured at the VM far last p x t e r . Figure 3 is u "vldrose" tme graph portraping the averago wind direction for the overall t h r e e month period. Figure 2 sholte t h e average vlnd dilutions observed fcr t h e biseolvlag perid

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Tablo I l a a tabulated summy of tho radiation lorols mcasurcd using tho 0.31 mop p: 24 h o ~ r sat 100-B Arca t o 0.69 mop por 2s hcurs c t 200 East koa. 30m orall mora@ roadlngs for this quartor aro eesontially tho 8320 as thoso Radiation levels In the air anb oirborno contailnation have boon masured using dotachable ionization cha&ezs and filtors, rospoctivoly. Ma? 1 i a a lolocations are also shown on this mp, E I q 2 is a location mp f o r tho constant. Talilo 11 shows tho avorago bob activity hotoctod i n the air by uf3o of filtorr.A roviou of this bob indicates a continuod domoase In LIo cr0ra.d. trod of activity found on tho fil tore. ~vora6o lovole obsorvod a t 200 East Aro3 '. drop in activity was also notod 3 tho 200 Wost koa. Arorago lor ol s in tho cut17% m a s such as Pasco, Rkhland, 9 o n k n City, and Hanford ronainob essont>.cCI'jr Figure 5 is a bur graph of 'Ao bota activity nnaaurod on fil tore at tho lhtod locations. A statistical annlysis of thee data (each individual avoram vas basod on twelve to thirteen svapleo spread orer a poricd o f throo mcnths) oil tbe filters indicated that thero ms no significant difforonco i n tho bota acti - v:ty levols b3twcen Richland (700 ,koa) end w a r d , Richland and 33Q Aroa, and .. Posco and Ricfiland. Bcnton City waa a&n found to bo significantly highor than mud (700 koa). me ovor- thrco month avorago beta activity moasurod for this period on ak. fil tora is eli & tly lmor thantta a vor qo lovol botoctod at6

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Alpha and B o b Contamlmtlon in the Colttmbia Rivor Tho Colm birr Rivor roto of flow hoe droppoii fraa about 2,000,000 8dbxu about 450,000 w o r m per eocond 38 Oroaaureb a t tho m110looation in Doccmibor, ber, @+7, was 900,oOO gallons por e e c d . Figuru, 6 ehowe tho *end of tho Columbln River flow frm July thnt Decdcr and woes with tho tronda observed in the pwt yoare. th let rod is al anticipated one Map 3 l a a location map indicating approrimb location where tho rivor 82mPI08 CITO takon. All of thoeo enmplo~a r e t3kDn on o weekly ble. ploa of river vator bkca at tho liatod locations. Tho lov oat lo ~ o hobeorvod from tho Yoklm Rlvar a t threo locations aro apalyzod slow via the Colrrmblo Rivcr s;rmploe and may bo conslQrod tu oesontidly background lovela dstoctob in A study of tho Coltmibia River for tho porloh Octobor - hconbor, at HWorb, lndicclbd that tho avarogo b o b activity found in 63mplos t a h n nom the south bank of tho rivor MB signiiicant3j higher tban the avorcrgo activity found a t tho d d d l o a d mar tho north bank of tho rlwrr. The avorage activity at tho middl0 of tho rivor y38 significantly higher tiban tho activity found noor tho north bank. This obe emt lon colncidos vith tho ObEOrV;rt10nando for the period, AprU. - JUM, 1947. (2) Hovovcr, for tho poriod July - Saptomber, the avorrrgo b o b activity botactod b B a q l 0 8 t&on mar tho 80uth and north bonks of tho rivor MI about the

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s3po and tho activity In tho etddlo of tbo rivor ~9 sign if i cmt ly lower than both aides of tho bank. study of tho chrrnclling offoote of t h o rivor during tho nininu and msicnn flaws o f tho ri vcr my shox aonn posaiblo ox plat ion for thoso iUfforcnco8. Thoro is no obvious oxplanation for this trond; porhnp a o r than that noasurod du=irG tho last qumtor. lag the continued docrczao in t h o flrlv of tho Colrmbia Rivor. A statistical ~ 4si sof tho avorago ht a activity found i n the r ivor az ql ct - F.t tho varioue location8 (plcago rofor to Figuro 7) l e sumurizcd below: Thcro vas no significant dlfforonco botucon the avorag0 I o t a activiLlfoa 11)33w06 i n rivor aq lost abn at 300 Aroa and a t the Paeco H and R Dopot. No significant diffcronco yo8 fcund i-? cmparlng tho avorxo activity in S a - ca1 rmflysla could not bo =do t o c6pparo tho avorago b o b contont nossuzcd in tho aificantly highor than tho auorcgo i n Yakha Horn. phs bkon ia tho niilJi0 of tho Colwabio at Richland, t iv it y found in sqlos t3kcn In t30 Coluibia Rivor at tho north bank of Hmforb and tho 300 Aron whon conparod to tho avorago bob activity found in scmplos tdkoa ln tho Colmbia at Richland. Tho rivor s aq loa bkon at tho throo locatione a t Hmford woro significantly dlf2orcnt fron oach oth0-f. S~nplosat tho south bank and fron tho nlddlo of t n o rivsr wore s i @ fic wt ly highor than 8-108 fron all locatlono ll s tod on Fiwo 7. kll rl vor eq loe takcn dura this poriod shmod < 2 dls/nln/litor of clyha

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Beta Cont dm tl on in the Rain and Snow Map 4 is a location map identifying the approrinute locatione of the rain gauges where the rain and mow s x q d o s are collected. poriod, October - Docombor 1947, from nino t o elaven aamples uoro collected at oach location except a t Motcorolog~, 200 Wost Arm, uhcro ~1 toM of activity vas cgclin found i n rain s2mphe located in tho 200 West k o a ; wed to 3.5 X 10-2,rrc pcr litcr maartrod &win& tho b e t porlod. 0vcra.U averago bcta activity in the raln e3splos forth la porlod I s conaidcrably lowor than that obeorvod i n tho last poriod. Tho avcrngo bob activity in rain saaploe collcctod in Richland, (700 Arccl) vas eignlflcantly hi-r than tho nvcraw activity nnaaurod in I n compring tho avcrago bob activity meaaurod in tho rain amploe, a T tost indlcatod no sip if i cat difforonco of tho avorago mluoe h tuc on 300 A r m and Pasco; bctvoon Paeco osd Bonton City, botwoon 100-B ard 100-F Milo Post 6 worn significantly highcr in bob xt lv it y than thoso samplos colloctod i n tho 700 koa (Rlchlcad).

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Octobor Novcnbor Docodor 1 Amrwo 1 Within 5 nilcs of 200 Areas Dctachnblo Ioaizatlon Chmbere 100 Area and Envlrone AX. tho above vfiuos hcludo t h o background masurcncnts at tho nardtorod local-

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Alpha an& Beta Contemination I n Drinking Water Map 5Isa eampllw location map for drinking water samglea an& teat well sfq)lea. The frequency of sample6 taken a t each location can be obtained by reTable I11 is a sumrrary of the averwe alpha and beta activity detected I n the drlnklig h-ater for the Henford k'orka and vicinity during the period October - detected i n any of the drinkins water. ~ l - l ~ / mln / llte rWAB h tec ted In any drinklng water except I n the 300 Area Sanitary No average beta activity a8 great aa 5 X 10-5pc per liter YBB No average alpha activity a0 great ae 2 ;:s%er arid 300 Area k'ells #1and #2 which are known t o be allg ht ly contaminated vit!i urenium. On t h e basie of sixty-four samplea taken at each 300 Area location, 5.5, 2.4 and 3.4 dla/m:n/liter respectively. It is of l nter eet to add that on ..the tae le of npecial analyees in which ten liter a of water %%e evaporated a?d melyzod f o r alpha contaslnation by tho ether extraction method, trace aoCoUntS Of urrnlum vnrylng from 2 - 10 parte per bl ll lol r were conelatently found i n eampleo :?kite Bluff8 and Benton Citg indicate slmllar trenb. Thla ab&ltio3nl. data *;;end8 t o eubetantiate re eu lts obtained In the laat period et which time it wae postulated that the quantity of uranium involved in the analyses WBB Frobably a natural amount preserit in theas water samplea. ,!%~p~eS taken a t Eenton City run amovhat higher i n the alpha activity found than In other drinking water.

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Figuro 8 A h o m .the trend of the alpha cor.trrminatlcar In t h e 300 Area Saniteuy water vith the river flow forth ie period. i t a minimm flow of about 400 thouesnd gallone per second, t h e contminatian found in the 300 Sanitary Water dropped t o almoat background levele. in the early part of July YBB about 1900 thoueend gallom Fer eecond a t vhlch time alpha a c t i v i t y as high 88 46 die/min/liter v(58 maeured in the 300 SaniWhen the river reached Figure 8-A shove a elmilax trend for the dp he activity meaeured in e m - 213s takon from 300 Area Well #l. A p l o t of the depth of tho water in the vel1 :a fhC included; the well depth follows the trend of the flow of the rl ver. lMta of accuracy deeignated for each point i n the activity memurement ehoun an c a p h a 8 and 8-A are foi countins errors only a t the ninety percent confidence Alt how the contamination leoole i n all drinkins water eemples (oxCopt i n tho 300 Area eqlee) 6hOWed act i vlt y to be loea than the roporting level,le ; (5 X 10-5 p c per liter for beta activity MC (2 bie/rnin/liter for alpha scti - vity; a series of T test a were calculated for the arerage act i viti ee found in the varioue sample8 t o detonnine any e ign ifl cmt blfferencee. percent confidence level wao ueed in this etat iet ical anelpie. Table I V and 19-A eumnrlze the result8 of tho statistical ehalyaie. It i e of interest to point out the analyeis between Paeco water and Renton City water. It hee beon prevlouely noted that the beta activity in Pasco water waa from 14.8 hour radi00Odl ~ mwith no alpha emittera. Indica tian ~ ~have ahovn t h a t t h e elgnificantly higher acti.rity in Benton City wee fraa some alpha emitter, mo6t likely uranium, vlth no detootable beta emtttere (at that i ow

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water at Faeco lee ign ifl cmt ly hlghor than the drinking water of‘ h n - Statistical malyeie ha8 shown that the blnkiq ‘ t c n City In beta activity; Bonton Cjty wator l e significantly higher t.han Pasco water i n alpha activity. Zion of radio8odium a8 tho contaminant i n P a m 0 water and Uranlum’ae the contaminant In Benton City miter. Thie tend6 t o support tho indicaThe statistical analysie aleo indicated that tho avorago alpha act iv it y ?n Beriton City water wae e ign ifl cmt ly highor than the averago Cpka activity dotected in Richland Well #l3 water; both locatlone ahovod trace zxnounte of uranium 8% 81~dyZ8dby tho Fluorophotamoter.

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The quantity of 8 day rsdioiodlno a d 5.4 day fa on in tho notal dinsolved culated on the basla of wciat of metal hteeolved l e tablaatoil below: Ma;, VI i e a location map doslgnatixq the dletribution of vogetation POXcpllZg x=lr~?;rtu elxty-fivo eamploe m r o takon for tho 3 moc+hs poriod c a t Richland, 200A Area and 200-W koa. Samplea are taken at leaet once ovory four woke at all locations. As Biguro 9 eurcmnrizob graphically, tho ovorall avorago beta activity dotoctod Tho avorage lon>le found for this poriod1.n vclgotction eonplos for thie porlo$. are oll at ly lowor than that obaorvod in tho last pariod. "30 overall averago bota activityzeaeurod in vogetation esmplod at Faeco, Xcnnsxick, Bonton City, Ricbiand, Midway, Riverland, m d tho 100 Arona WOB bolow ono-half the tolermm valuo o? 8 day radloiobino in vogotation, 0.2, y c The lovele In 200-W m d 200-E koas havo dropped eignificantly thie ~ uar - Figure 10 ehowe the trond of bota contarnlnationmoaeurod on vogetation em- .?lee takon at Routo &, Milo Poet 4 08 compared t o tho doily crrlculatod quantitlce'

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of 8 &y radialchino i n tho notal dlseolvod i n 200 Eaet a b 200 Woet Arose. Map VI1IsM Ieo-activity chart sh9ving tho spread of contamlnatlon on Tho epad of contomi-vogotation for tho porlod, Octobor - Docombor, 1947. nation follows tho prevailing wind dlroctlon which m e from tho north-wost. in 200 Wost koa.no overall avorago Iota contaninntion on vogotation I s loss this porlod a8 comparod t o tho laat porlod; this 18 an anticipated trend a8 tho qceztlty of radiolodino oxpollod frap tho stacks t h i s poriod vu! lower Sy 0 fa:- tcr of about two (2) aa cornparod t o tho last porlod. 9 A scrlce of Tte e te woro calculated comp a rl ~t h e locatlone and tholr rocpcctlve beta act l vlt loe as list od in Figure 9. * It vas found that tho avorago activity of eeu~glcsc oll octo i duet outaldo tho 2-'OO-Voe%k o a Cat0 was algzdficcmtly hiaor thnn tho avorago of eamploe collactoli i.naido of 200 West and 200 East Area. Sqlos from imido tho 200 Eaat Aroa wore al5nlflcantly hi acr th n thoao in 200 Vest Area. Su2los collected a t Cablo Mountain wore siplficantly highor than 8811@et3 colloctod In Richland. b aq loe collected In Richland and Emford. Thore WOB only a doubtfill elgulflcant. difforence botwoan No slgniflcmt bifforonco v a e found In samples coUoctab in Richlwl, Konnewick, and Pneco. found on individual ecmplos token at different locatlone In any of t h e above cities. Piere XRB no e i @ flcmt difference betwoen Benton City rrnd m y of the above loh'o significant difforonce vua found In colaparl~t h e activity No al@ficant difference vas found In coin par l ~t he activity on vegetction

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JGPHA AND 2ETA ACTIVITY IN WELIS AID SANITARY UATD Avorage Beta Activity Averago Alpha Activity Kennowick Standard Statlox Pie to l Range

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-Alpha and Boto Contminotion I n Hanford Wafltoe Locn t ion Alpha Contamination Tno avorogo contaninntion mcmurod i n tho 100-koa waetse for tho porlod Octobor - Docatbor 1947, i …