Contents
1 Introduction and Summary of Results
1.1 Summary of risk assessment results
1.2 Organization of this chapter
1.4 Why is tritium used at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory?
1.5 What are tritium’s radiological characteristics?
1.6 What steps are necessary to assess tritium risk?
1.7 Does the tritium at LBNL escape into the environment?
1.8 How might someone be exposed to tritium from LBNL?
1.9 Is tritium hazardous to human health? What do we know?
1.10 How much radiation are workers exposed to from the NTLF?
1.11 What are the estimated risks due to tritium exposure?
1.13 What are the risks from LBNL tritium to workers near the NTLF?
1.16 Is it more likely that this study overstates or understates risk?
1.17 Does LBNL tritium pose a significant risk to workers and the community?
1.18 How reliable is this risk assessment?
1.19 Organization of the rest of this report
1A.1 Radiological Health Branch, California Department of Health Services
1A.2 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
1A.3 US Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX Office in San Francisco
2 Radiation and Tritium Use at the NTLF
2.2.1 Sources of Environmental Tritium
2.2.2 Health Effects of Tritium
3 How the Risk Assessment Was Done
4.1 Overview of the Risk Assessment Process
4.2 Tritium Properties and Sources
4.3 Tritium Releases from the NTLF
4.4 Environmental Distribution of Tritium Releases from the NTLF
4.5 Human Contact with Tritium Releases
4.5.2.1 Exposure Duration and Averaging Time
4.5.2.2 Anatomical Properties, Inhalation, and Ingestion
4.5.2.3 Activity Patterns and Exposure Times
4.6 The Relation Between Tritium Exposure, Radiological Dose and Health Effects
4.6.1 Health Risks Associated with Tritium
4.6.2 Tritium Metabolism and Dosimetry
4.6.3 Regulatory Guidance Relevant to Tritium
4.6.4 Risk Factors: The Relation Between Radiological Dose and Health Effects
| 4.6.4.1 The Risk Factor for Cancer, R | can |
| HTO |
| 4.6.4.2 The Risk Factor for Heritable Genetic Effects, R | gen |
| HTO |
| 4.6.4.3 The Risk Factor for Developmental and Reproductive Effects, R | rep |
| HTO |
4.7 Estimated Health Risks for Tritium Releases from the NTLF
4.7.1 Tritium Concentrations in Air, Water, and Soil of the NTLF Environment
4.7.1.2 Source Area and Mixing Height of the Atmosphere Near the NTLF
4.7.1.3 Predicted Concentrations in the Vicinity of the NTLF, Zone 1
4.7.2 Generic Calculations of Intake, Uptake, Body Burdens, and Dose
4.7.2.1 Average Intake by Inhalation
4.7.2.3 Average Intake by Ingestion of Homegrown Foods
4.7.2.4 Average Ingestion Intake of Surface Water During Recreation
4.7.2.5 Total Body Burden of Tritiated Water
4.7.2.6 Estimated Live-Born Infant Body Burden
4.7.2.7 Potential Infant Intake and Body Burden through Breast Feeding
4.7.3 Estimated Doses and Risks in Zone 1
4.7.4 Estimated Doses and Risks in Zone 2
APPENDICES
A Two-Compartment Environmental Transport Model for Tritium
A.2 Steady State Mass Balance Equations
B Human Anatomical and Intake Factors Used in the Exposure Assessment Calculations
C Landscape, Climate and Hydrology Parameters
D Evaluating the Potential Legacy of Past Elevated HTO Emissions
E Results of the Risk Assessment Carried Out for NTLF Releases, Using the EPA CAP88 Computer Model
F Validation of the Input Data for Risk Assessment
F.1 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Air Quality Data
F.2 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Rain Water Data
F.3 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Surface Water Data
F.4 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Soil and Sediment Data
F.5 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Ground Water Data
F.6 Comparison of Risk Assessment Estimates to Measured Vegetation Data
G Conversion Table for Radiation Units
I Questions and Answers About Tritium
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