Risk and Safety Assessment
The Laboratory has hired
an independent consulting firm to conduct
a Risk and
Safety Assessment of its operations. This independent assessment process provides a
unique opportunity for the greater Shoreline
community to learn more about the Laboratory and
its operations.
Newborn Screening
The Newborn Screening
Program is undergoing a period of rapid
change, expanding the number of
disorders tested in Washington State.
Office of Environmental Laboratory Sciences Analyzes Composite Air Samples for
Uranium and Plutonium.
The Division of Radiation Protection operates a number of continuous air
sampling stations around the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. In the aftermath of
the wildfire that occurred there in June 2000, the possible presence of
Plutonium in air became a topic of considerable discussion. In order to provide
reliable data for this discussion, the Division of Radiation Protection asked
that the laboratory develop a method to achieve much lower detection levels for
Plutonium in air than had previously been achieved. The new method involves the
preparation of semi-annual composite samples of air filters. Composites are
prepared for each of three sampling locations. These composite samples are
dissolved, and chemical separations are performed for elemental Uranium and
elemental Plutonium. The purified elemental fractions are analyzed by
High-Resolution Alpha Spectrometry for isotopic Uranium and Plutonium,
respectively. This work yields detection limits for isotopes of Plutonium in
the range of 4-9E-06 pCi/cubic meter. The laboratory had to develop a
specialized procedure to perform sequential separation of Uranium and Plutonium
on groups of 26 air filters in order to meet the analytical requirement for
such low detection levels.
For more information on this project, please contact
Blaine Rhodes, Acting Director, Office of Environmental Laboratory
Sciences.
Office of Environmental Laboratory Sciences Assists State of Alaska with
Analysis of Plutonium in Samples from Amchitka Island.
The State of Alaska is investigating the ratios of Pu-238 to Pu-239 in marine
vegetation, fresh-water fish, and other samples collected on Amchitka Island.
The scientists conducting the investigation wish to compare the isotopic ratios
in the samples taken from this island to the known ratios from worldwide
fall-out. Several laboratories are participating in this work, using a variety
of techniques to analyze for Pu. Because the levels of Pu in these samples is
so extremely low, special techniques are needed to achieve the sorts of
detection limits required. The Office of Environmental Laboratory
Sciences’ Radiation Chemistry Group is working on samples of ashed
material, from which Pu is chemically separated and purified, then analyzed by
High-Resolution Alpha Spectrometry.
For more information on this project, please contact
Blaine Rhodes, Acting Director, Office of Environmental Laboratory
Sciences.
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