ML19087A157

Attachment a - Pulstar Reactor Environmental Radiation Surveillance Report 2018

ML19087A157
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Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	03/25/2019
From:	North Carolina State University
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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ATTACHMENT A PULSTAR REACTOR ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION SURVEILLANCE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2018 - DECEMBER 31, 2018 NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CENTER RADIATION SAFETY DIVISION by Ralton J. Harris Environmental Health Physicist

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO.

1. INTRODUCTION 1 Table 1 Environmental Monitoring Programs for the PULSTAR Reactor 2

2. AIR MONITORING 3 Table 2.1 Location of Air Monitoring Stations 3 Table 2.2 Airborne Gross Beta Activities 3 Table 2.3 Airborne Gamma Activities (LLD Values) 4 Table 2.4 Regulatory Limits, Alert Levels and Background Levels for Airborne Radioactivity 5

3. MILK Table 3.1 I-131 in Cows Milk 6

4. SURFACE WATER Table 4.1 Gross Alpha and Beta Activity in Surface Water 7 Table 4.2 LLD Values for Gamma Emitters in Surface Water 8

5. VEGETATION Table 5.1 Gross Beta Activity in Campus Vegetation 9 Table 5.2 LLD Values for Gamma Emitters in Vegetation 9

6. OPTICALLY STIMULATED DOSIMETERS 10 Table 6.1 Environmental Dosimeter Doses 10

7. QUALITY CONTROL INTERCOMPARISON PROGRAM 11 Tables 7.1a - 7.1c 12 -14

8. CONCLUSIONS 15

1. INTRODUCTION The Environmental Radiation Surveillance Program exists to provide routine measurements of the university environment surrounding the PULSTAR Reactor.

The specific objectives of this program include:

1) Providing information that assesses the adequacy of the protection of the university community and the public-at-large;

2) Meeting requirements of regulatory agencies;

3) Verifying radionuclide containment in the reactor facility;

4) Meeting legal liability obligations; and

5) Providing public assurance and acceptance.

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Table 1 Environmental Monitoring Programs for the PULSTAR Reactor at North Carolina State University Sample Activity Conducted Previous Current Basis For Measured By Frequency Frequency Measurement Stack Gross N.E. Continuous Continuous 10 CFR 20 Gases Gamma T.S. 6.7.4 Stack Gross Beta N.E. Monthly Monthly 10 CFR 20 Particles Gamma N.E. T.S. 6.7.4 Emitters Water from Gross Beta N.E. Prior to Prior to 10 CFR 20 Reactor Gross N.E. Discharge Discharge T.S. 6.7.4 Facility Gamma N.E. (~ Monthly) (~ Monthly) City of Tritium Raleigh Ordinance Air Particles Gross Beta RSD Weekly Quarterly 10 CFR 20 at 4 Gamma RSD Weekly Quarterly 10 CFR 20 Campus Emitters Stations*

Air Dose at OSD RSD Quarterly Quarterly 10 CFR 20 7 Campus Dosimeter Stations+

Surface Gross Beta RSD Quarterly Quarterly NCSU Water Gamma RSD Quarterly Quarterly NCSU Rocky Emitters Branch Creek Tritium N.E. --------------- Quarterly 10 CFR 20 Vegetation Gross Beta RSD Semi- Every Other NCSU NCSU Gamma RSD annually Year NCSU Campus Milk I-131 RSD Monthly Every Other NCSU Local Dairy Year Abbreviations Used in Table:

N.E. = Nuclear Engineering/Reactor Facility; RSD = Radiation Safety Division.

• These 4 stations include:

Withers, Daniels, Polk and the Environmental Health & Safety Center.

+These 7 stations include: PULSTAR Reactor and the 4 air sampling stations, North Hall and a control station (EH&S).

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2. AIR MONITORING (TABLES 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4)

Air monitoring is performed continually for one week during each of four (4) quarters during the year. The data in Table 2.2 are for gross beta activity levels measured during the year. The highest gross beta activity observed was 18.7 fCi/cubic meter at the Environmental Health and Safety Center station during the week of 11/21/2018 to 11/28/2018. The annual campus average value was 12.5 fCi/cubic meter.

Table 2.3 lists LLD values for several gamma emitters which would be indicative of fission product activity. No gamma activity due to any of these radionuclides was detected.

Table 2.4 lists regulatory limits, alert levels, and average background levels for airborne radioactivity.

TABLE 2.1 LOCATION OF AIR MONITORING STATIONS SITE DIRECTION1 DISTANCE2 ELEVATION3 (meters) (meters)

DANIELS SOUTHEAST 90 -8 WITHERS NORTHEAST 82 -6 EH & S CENTER WEST 1230 -3 NORTH HALL ** NORTHEAST 402 -4 POLK HALL WEST 100 -7 1DIRECTION - DIRECTION FROM REACTOR STACK 2DISTANCE - DISTANCE FROM REACTOR STACK 3ELEVATION - ELEVATION RELATIVE TO THE TOP OF THE REACTOR STACK

• • ONLY DOSIMETER MONITORING 3

TABLE 2.2 Airborne Gross Beta Activity (fCi/cubic meter +/- 2)

PERIOD Polk Daniels Withers EH&S 2018 03/21-03/28 13.7 +/- 1.2 11.3 +/- 1.1 10.5 +/- 1.1 11.6 +/- 1.1 06/21-06/29 7.6 +/- 0.8 16.9 +/- 1.1 5.3 +/- 0.8 18.1 +/- 1.2 09/19-09/27 7.0 +/- 0.8 6.2 +/- 0.8 17.4 +/- 1.1 16.6 +/- 1.1 11/21-11/28 16.7 +/- 1.2 5.7 +/- 0.9 16.2 +/- 1.2 18.7 +/- 1.3 TABLE 2.3 Airborne Gamma Activity LLD Values (fCi/cubic meter)

PERIOD Co-57 Co-60 Nb-95 Zr-95 Ru-103 Ru-106 Cs-137 Ce-141 Ce-144 2018 03/21- 03/28 0.21 0.35 0.29 0.47 0.27 2.37 0.26 0.38 1.22 06/21 - 06/29 0.20 0.37 0.28 0.48 0.28 2.48 0.29 0.34 1.28 09/19 - 09/27 0.18 0.35 0.31 0.54 0.33 2.51 0.29 0.43 1.40 11/21 - 11/28 0.17 0.37 0.37 0.50 0.32 2.41 0.29 0.39 1.41 4

TABLE 2.4 REGULATORY LIMITS, ALERT LEVELS, AND BACKGROUND LEVELS FOR AIRBORNE RADIOACTIVITY (fCi M 3).

REGULATORY INVESTIGATION *AVERAGE N.C.

NUCLIDE LIMIT LEVEL BACKGROUND LEVEL GROSS BETA 1000 500 20 Cs-137 2 X 105 100 2 Ce-134 2 X 105 100 0 Nb-95 2 X 106 100 0 Zr-95 400 100 0

• This data represents an average value measured in North Carolina at various locations.

Excerpted from 2009 Environmental Surveillance Report produced by the NC Department of Health and Human Services Radiation Protection Section.

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3. MILK (TABLE 3.1)

Milk samples are collected every other year from the Campus Creamery and the Lake Wheeler Road Dairy as processed milk and raw milk and analyzed for I-131. No samples were collected in 2018.

TABLE 3.1 I-131 IN COWS MILK (pCi Liter -1 2 ) LLD ~ 2 pCi Liter -1 pCi Liter 1 DATE Campus Creamery Lake Wheeler 2018 No Data No Data 6

4. SURFACE WATER (TABLES 4.1 AND 4.2)

Table 4.1 gives the gross alpha and beta activities for water from Rocky Branch at points where it enters (ON), behind Carmichael Gymnasium (GYM) and exits (OFF) the campus. The LLD value for gross alpha and beta activities is ~ 0.4 pCi Liter-1. For gross alpha activity the Investigation Level is 5 pCi Liter-1 and the Regulatory Limit is 15 pCi Liter-1. For gross beta activity the Investigation Level is 12.5 pCi Liter-1 and the Regulatory Limit is 50 pCi Liter-1. Gamma analysis of all samples was also performed. All the results are consistent with the presence of naturally-occurring radionuclides and none of the gamma emitters listed in Table 4.2 were detected.

TABLE 4.1 GROSS ALPHA AND BETA ACTIVITY IN SURFACE WATER (pCi Liter 1 2)

LLD ~ 0.4 pCi Liter-1 LLD ~ 0.4 pCi Liter 1 pCi Liter 1 GROSS GROSS DATE LOCATION ALPHA BETA FIRST QUARTER 2018 ON 0.05 0.2 2.9 0.6 OFF 0.05 0.2 2.6 0.6 GYM 0.2 0.2 2.6 0.6 SECOND QUARTER 2018 ON 0.4 0.3 3.3 0.7 OFF -0.1 0.2 0.1 0.5 GYM 0.5 0.3 3.8 0.7 THIRD QUARTER 2018 ON 0.2 0.2 5.6 + 0.8 OFF 0.1 0.2 4.8 + 0.7 GYM 0.0 0.1 7.6 + 0.9 FOURTH QUARTER 2018 ON 0.3 0.3 3.1 + 0.7 OFF 0.1 0.3 1.7 + 0.6 GYM 0.4 0.3 3.7 + 0.7 7

TABLE 4.2 LLD VALUES FOR GAMMA EMITTERS IN SURFACE WATER NUCLIDE LLD (pCi Liter-1)

Co-60 0.4 Zn-65 0.7 Cs-137 0.3 Cs-134 0.4 Sr-85 0.4 Ru-103 0.3 Ru-106 3.0 Nb-95 0.4 Zr-95 0.5 8

5. VEGETATION (TABLE 5.1 & 5.2)

Tables 5.1 gives gross beta activities for grass samples collected on the NCSU Campus. Table 5.2 lists LLD values for several gamma emitters. No samples were collected in 2018. The vegetation sampling is performed every other year.

TABLE 5.1 GROSS BETA ACTIVITY IN CAMPUS VEGETATION

• LLD 0.5 pCi g-1 SAMPLE DATE SAMPLE LOCATION (pCi g-1 2) 2018 NORTH CAMPUS No Data 2018 SOUTH CAMPUS No Data 2018 EAST CAMPUS No Data 2018 WEST CAMPUS No Data TABLE 5.2 LLD VALUES FOR GAMMA EMITTERS IN VEGETATION NUCLIDE LLD (pCi gram-1)

Co-60 0.01 Zn-65 0.02 Cs-137 0.01 Cs-134 0.01 Sr-85 0.01 Ru-103 0.01 Nb-95 0.01 Zr-95 0.02 9

6. OPTICALLY STIMULATED DOSIMETERS (TABLE 6.1)

Dosimeter analysis is contracted to Landauer, Inc. for determination of ambient radiation exposures.

Exposures are integrated over a three-month period at each of the air monitor stations listed in Table 2.1 and at the PULSTAR Reactor facility. A control dosimeter is located in the Environmental Health &

Safety Center. Table 6.1 gives the dose equivalent data for these eight (8) locations.

The dose equivalents are reported as millirem per quarter year. Readings which fall below the dosimeters minimum measurable quantities (i.e., 1 millirem for gamma radiations and 10 millirem for beta radiation) are reported by the contract vendor with the designation M. The observed readings are typically within the expected range for natural background radiation levels.

TABLE 6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL DOSIMETER DOSES - Millirem per Quarter Period Control Polk Withers Daniels EHS North PULSTAR 2018 01/01- 51 M,M M,M M,M M M 15 03/31 04/01- 48 M,M M,M M,M M M 9 06/30 07/01- 54 M,M M,M M,M M M 3 09/30 10/01- 54 M,M M,M M,M M M 6 12/31 10

7. QUALITY CONTROL INTERCOMPARISON PROGRAM The Environmental Radiation Surveillance Laboratory (ERSL) in the Radiation Safety Division has analyzed samples provided by the U.S. DOE Mixed-Analyte Performance Evaluation Program (MAPEP Test Session 39) Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory (RESL) during this reporting period. The objective of this program is to provide laboratories performing environmental radiation measurements with unknowns to test their analytical techniques. Due to DOE/MAPEP funding issues, cross-check test samples are currently not being supplied for gross alpha/beta water and gross alpha/beta air filter analyses.

The MAPEP value listed in the Tables 7.1 (a-c) to which the ERSL results are compared is the mean of replicate determinations for each nuclide. The MAPEP uncertainty is the standard error of the mean.

For each reported radiological analyte, the laboratory result and the reference value may be used to calculate a relative bias:

(100)(Laboratory Result RESL Re ferenceValue)

%Bias RESL Re ferenceValue The relative bias will place the laboratory result in one of three categories:

Acceptable Bias 20%

Acceptable with Warning... 20% < Bias 30%

Not Acceptable. Bias > 30%

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TABLE 7.1a MULTINUCLIDE WATER SAMPLE - INTERCOMPARISON STUDY 01 August 2018 The sample consists of a spiked aliquot of acidified water (~5 % HNO3). The reported values and the known values are given in Bq/Liter.

• NCSU - ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY RESULTS Radionuclide *Reported *Reported MAPEP Acceptance Value Error Value Range Co60 0.8 1.0 -------- False + Test Cs137 6.99 0.87 6.9 4.8 - 9.0 Cs134 9.63 0.58 8.7 6.1 - 11.3 Co57 15.28 0.37 14.9 10.4 - 19.4 Mn54 12.61 0.49 12.5 8.8 - 16.3 Zn65 8.10 0.74 7.53 5.27 - 9.79 Note: The entry ------indicates no analyte was present for purposes of conducting a False Positive (+) Test.

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TABLE 7.1b MULTINUCLIDE AIR FILTER - INTERCOMPARISON STUDY 01 August 2018 The sample consists of one 50 mm diameter glass fiber filter which has been spiked with a solution and dried. The reported values and the known values are given in Bq/filter.

• NCSU - ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY RESULTS Radionuclide *Reported *Reported MAPEP Acceptance Value Error Value Range Co60 0.32 0.05 0.294 0.206 - 0.382 Cs137 0.37 0.05 0.345 0.242 - 0.449 Cs134 0.48 0.04 0.444 0.311 - 0.577 Co57 0.58 0.04 0.592 0.414 - 0.770 Mn54 0.29 0.05 0.266 0.186 - 0.346 Zn65 0.17 0.07 0.201 Sensitivity Evaluation Note: The entry ------indicates no analyte was present for purposes of conducting a False Positive (+) Test.

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TABLE 7.1c MULTINUCLIDE VEGETATION SAMPLE - INTERCOMPARISON STUDY 01 August 2018 The sample consists of a spiked sample of vegetation. The reported values and the known values are given in Bq/sample.

• NCSU - ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY RESULTS Radionuclide *Reported *Reported MAPEP Acceptance Value Error Value Range Co60 2.04 0.11 1.68 1.18 - 2.18 Cs137 2.78 0.13 2.36 1.65 - 3.07 Cs134 2.21 0.11 1.94 1.36 - 2.52 Co57 3.97 0.10 3.31 2.32 - 4.30 Mn54 3.30 0.08 2.53 1.77 - 3.29 Zn65 0.79 0.10 1.37 0.96 - 1.78 Note: The entry ------ indicates no analyte was present for purposes of conducting a False Positive (+) Test.

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8. CONCLUSIONS The data obtained during this period do not show any fission product activities. The observed environmental radioactivity is due primarily to radon progeny, primordial radionuclides (e.g. K-40) and those radionuclides which originate in the upper atmosphere as the result of cosmic ray interactions. These facts justify the conclusion that the PULSTAR Reactor facility continues to operate safely and does not release fission product materials into the environment.

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