PNNL-15614 Methods and Models of the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program PNNL-MA-860 E. H. Carbaugh D. E. Bihl J. A. MacLellan January 1, 2003 Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC06-76RL01830 DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor Battelle Memorial Institute, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. 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Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0062; ph: (865) 576-8401 fax: (865) 576-5728 email: [email protected] Available to the public from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161 ph: (800) 553-6847 fax: (703) 605-6900 email: [email protected] online ordering: http://www.ntis.gov/ordering.htm This document was printed on recycled paper. (8/00) PNNL-MA-860 Radiation and Health Technology Methods and Models of the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program, PNNL-MA-860 Approved for Use and Application by: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352 Preface This manual provides the scientific and technical foundations for bioassay program design and interpretation, and for the assessment of occupational intakes and internal doses. The Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project Manual (PNNL-MA-552)(a) applies these foundations to define the recommended worker bioassay monitoring programs and internal dose assessment efforts at the Hanford Site. According to the DOE Internal Dosimetry Program Guide (DOE G 441.1-3, 03-17-99), a technical basis document should record the approach to evaluating internal doses from bioassay data, and where appropriate, from workplace monitoring data. It should also describe the physical and chemical characteristics of radioactive materials encountered in the workplace; methods for calculating internal doses and dose equivalents and the methods for documenting those calculations; dose evaluation quality assurance; recording and reporting practices for internal dosimetry; selection of workers for monitoring; and establishment of the type and frequency of measurements to be used. Furthermore, statistical methods for evaluating bioassay data, identifying bioassay results above environmental background values, using appropriate blanks, and analyzing trends should be described. This manual describes the basic methods and biokinetic models used for bioassay program design, interpretation, and internal dose assessment. These methods and models are combined with good practices and professional judgment to give the operational recommendations for routine and special bioassay monitoring contained in the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project Manual (PNNL-MA-552). The actual selection of workers for monitoring and the characterization of the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of contaminants in the many Hanford facilities are the domain of the individual Hanford contractors. The recommendations in this manual are provided as guidance, not requirements, to personnel responsible for designing and operating bioassay monitoring programs and evaluating bioassay results. Commitments by contractors to use these recommendations may be found in the contractor radiation protection plans. This manual is on a 3-year revision schedule, however individual sections are revised as necessary, and upon revision, commence their own 3-year revision cycle. This manual is maintained by the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program, operated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) Radiation and Health Technology group. The contact person for questions or comments regarding the content of this manual is Eugene H. Carbaugh at 376-6632. Available email address: [email protected] (a) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Hanford Internal Dosimetry Project Manual. PNNL-MA-552, Richland, Washington. (Internal manual.) Available URL: http://www.pnl.gov/eshs/pub/pnnl552.html Issued: January 31, 2003 PNNL-MA-860 Preface Page iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ACGIH American Conference on Governmental Industrial Hygienists ALI annual limit on intake AMAD activity median aerodynamic diameter ANSI American National Standards Institute BEIR Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation CEDE committed effective dose equivalent CINDY code for internal dosimetry CF commercial fuel CFR Code of Federal Regulations CL contract limit DAC derived air concentration DCL derived compliance level DCF dose conversion factor D&D decontamination and decommissioning DIL derived investigation level DL decision level DOE U.S. Department of Energy DRL dose reporting level DSL derived screening level DTPA diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid DU depleted uranium EDF Emergency Decontamination Facility EDTA ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FFTF Fast Flux Test Facility GI gastrointestinal HEHF Hanford Environmental Health Foundation HIDP Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program HPS Health Physics Society HTO tritiated water vapor or liquid IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency ICPMS inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Issued: January 31, 2003 PNNL-MA-860 Acronyms Supersedes: September 30, 2000 Page v ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection IL investigation level IRF intake retention function IVRRF In Vivo Radioassay and Research Facility Lc critical level of detection Ld detection level LLD lower limit of detection MDA minimum detectable activity or amount MDD minimum detectable dose MDI minimum detectable intake MKIV Mark IV MPBB maximum permissible body burden NBS National Bureau of Standards NCRP National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NU natural uranium NWVP Nuclear Waste Vitrification Project OBT organically bound tritium ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration PC personal computer PEL permissible exposure limit PFP Plutonium Finishing Plant PHS Public Health Services PNL Pacific Northwest Laboratory PNNL Pacific Northwest National Laboratory PUREX Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Plant (or process) RU recycled uranium SEE specific effective energy SI small intestine SL screening level STC special tritium compound STEL short-term exposure limit TLV threshold limit valve TPU total propagated uncertainty UNSCEAR United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation PNNL-MA-860 Acronyms Issued: January 31, 2003 Page vi Supersedes: September 30, 2000 USTUR United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries UO3 Uranium Oxide (Plant) VL verification level WESF Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility WHO World Health Organization Issued: January 31, 2003 PNNL-MA-860 Acronyms Supersedes: September 30, 2000 Page vii Contents Preface .............................................................................................................................................. iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................ v 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 1.1 1.1 Document Description....................................................................................................... 1.1 1.2 Document History.............................................................................................................. 1.2 1.3 References ......................................................................................................................... 1.4 2.0 General Methods for Internal Dosimetry.................................................................................... 2.1 2.1 Radiation Quality and Tissue Weighting Factors.............................................................. 2.1 2.2 Biokinetic Models.............................................................................................................. 2.2 2.3 Bioassay Measurements.................................................................................................... 2.3 2.4 Internal Dosimetry Assessments........................................................................................ 2.3 2.5 Organs or Tissues of Concern............................................................................................ 2.4 2.6 Particle Size ......................................................................................................................