Properties of NORM - NDSC Conference/C16 NORM 101 Dade...Since ra對don is a noble gas it does not combine with anything and once formed in the ground radon atoms are free to move

NORM 101

Properties of Uranium, Thorium, Radium, and Radon

Alan Fellman, Ph.D., C.H.P.

Dade Moeller, an NV5 Company


What is NORM? NORM: Naturally Occurring Radioactive

Material – natural radioactivity (uranium, thorium, radium, radon…) Everything that comes from the ground

is radioactive Building materials Food Water

2


What is TENORM ? Technologically Enhanced NORM -

natural material whose radioactive concentrations have been enhanced by

human activities not including: Background or natural levels (NORM)

Byproduct material (man-made in reactors)

Source material (used to make reactor fuel)

Recovered uranium or uranium tailings 3


NORM / TENORM Nuclides

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Primordial radionuclides in their natural state U-238, U-235, Th-232, K-40

Technologically Enhanced NORM Primordial radionuclides enhanced in

concentration or location due to human actions

Ra-226, Ra-228, Po-210, Pb-210 4


Sources of NORM NORM: Naturally Occurring Radioactive

Material – natural radionuclides (uranium, thorium, radium, radon…) Fertilizer (phosphate ores – uranium) Rare earth mine tailings (uranium, thorium) Ceramic products (uranium in clay) Welding rods (thorium oxides in coatings) Coal (radium)

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Sources of NORM (cont’d) Natural gas processing (radon decay products) Radon in homes (radon decay products) Radioactivity in consumer products Uranium – red / orange glaze on ceramics (U-238) Uranium – green / yellow coloring in glass (U-238) Radioactivity in tobacco products (Pb-210, Po-210) Radium dial instruments (Ra-226) Thorium lantern mantles (Th-232) Ceramic tiles (U-238, Ra-226) Granite counter tops (U-238, Ra-226) Light salt - KCl K-40 (0.0117 %)

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TENORM in Natural Gas Radon Decay Products may Collect

in Pipes, Valves, Pumps

7 Dade Moeller, an NV5 Company 7

Should we be Concerned? Is that bad? What do we need to know to decide? Radiation in our everyday world? Possible exposures? Regulations for safety? How to do measurements? What can we do for safety?

Dade Moeller, an NV5 Company 8

Properties of Uranium


Uranium Decay Series Radionuclide Half-Life Radiations 238 U 4.47 billion years Alpha, x-rays 234 Th 24.1 days Beta, gamma, x-rays 234m Pa 1.17 minutes Beta, gamma 234 U 2,480,000 years Alpha, x-rays 230 Th 77,000 years Alpha, x-rays 226 Ra 1,600 years Alpha, x-rays 222 Rn 3.8 days Alpha 218 Po 3.05 minutes Alpha 214 Pb 26.8 minutes Beta, gamma, x-rays 214 Bi 19.7 minutes Beta, gamma, x-rays 214 Po 164 microseconds Alpha 210 Pb 22.3 years Beta, gamma, x-rays 210 Bi 5.01 days Beta 210 Po 138 days Alpha 206 P Stable None 10


Uranium Proton No. 92, Neutrons, 141 to 146 U-238 = 99.24%, U-235 = 0.711 %

U-234 = 0.0058% Half-life 4.5 billion years U-235 is fissile (nucleus split by neutrons)

Fuel for reactors Bombs

Softer than steel, malleable, ductile

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Uranium Discovered in 1789 – Martin Klaproth Found to emit energy by Becquerel -1896 70% more dense then lead

Good shield material DU used for penetrators, in place of lead

Enriched in U-235 (0.3%) for fuel (10-30 %) Huge tailings from radium separation Used as colorant in ceramics and glassware

By the Romans to make yellow glass

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Uranium Avg. conc. 2 – 4 ppm, (0.7 to 15%)

40 x that of silver

More plentiful than antimony, tin,

cadmium, or mercury,

Absorbed in plants (5 to 60 ppb)

Uranium oxides, stable, low solubility

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Uranium Exposure by inhaling dust or ingestion

from water and food

Ingested – most is excreted (95 - 99%)

Absorbed – may go to bones (phosphate)

Health risk – toxic damage to kidneys

No human cancers from U

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Properties of Thorium


Thorium Decay Series Radionuclide Half-Life Radiations 232 Th 14.1 billion years Alpha, x-rays 228 Ra 5.75 years Beta, gamma, x-rays 228 Ac 6.1 hours Beta, gamma 228 Th 1.91 years Alpha, gamma, x-rays 224 Ra 3.66 days Alpha, gamma 220 Rn 55.6 seconds Alpha 216 Po 0.15 seconds Alpha 212 Pb 10.64 hours Beta, gamma, x-rays 212 Bi 60.6 minutes Alpha, beta, gamma 212 Po 0.305 microseconds Alpha 208 Tl 3.07 minutes Beta, gamma 208 Pb Stable None

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Thorium

Atomic No. 90, named for Thor, god of thunder 27 isotopes, Th-232, Th-230, Th-229, Th-228 Thorium oxide, very high melting point, 3300 C. Used in lantern mantles, since 1885 High quality camera lenses, welding electrodes Found in soil about 3 x Uranium, 6 - 12 ppm

Monazite – 12%, India has 25% of world reserves In food and water, excreted in few days Inhalation could cause lung damage

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Properties of Radium


Radium – 226, 228 Atomic No. 88, Ra-226 from U-238, alpha Ra-228 from Th-232, beta emitter Radium and ZnS are phosphorescent Found in soil everywhere, Decays to radon (greater risk than radium) In food and water, 80% excreted,

Accumulates in bones (like calcium)

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Properties of Radon

What is Radon? A naturally occurring,

radioactive gas Comes from uranium, radium in the soil

Chemically inert Heaviest noble gas

Invisible and odorless Cannot be detected by our five senses

Accumulates in buildings Amount can only be determined by testing


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Radon as a noble gas does not react with anything and exists only as individual atoms. It comes from radioactive decay of radium - 226 which is part of the long decay chain which begins with uranium-238. Radium is found in soil everywhere as a divalent cation, like calcium. It is invisible and odorless and thus cannot be detected by any of our five senses. Radon normally diffuses from its source in the ground into the outdoor air until we set a box (building) on top of the ground and then radon collects in that box. As radon accumulates in buildings, the amount can only be determined by special tests, such as activated charcoal canisters, which we will describe later. It cannot be measured by any radiation meter normally used for radiation safety.

Uranium Decay Chain yr105.4

23892

9U

x

yr 6201

22688 Ra

days8.3

22286 Rn

min3

21884 Po

min27

21482 Pb

α, β, γ

α

α

α min7.19

21483 Bi sec106.1

21484

4Po−x

yr4.19

21082 Pbβ, γ

β, γ α

Source of Radon

Dose to Lungs Due to


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Radon-222 comes from decay of radium-226 which is a natural component of soil found everywhere. Radium-226 has about a 1600 year half-life, and since it is replenished by decay of uranium, it will continue to produce radon essentially forever. Since radon is a noble gas it does not combine with anything and once formed in the ground radon atoms are free to move thought the soil and dissipate in outdoor air. A house is a box sitting on the ground and radon can diffuse into that box. Once radon is in a building, it also decays to form decay products in the air as shown. It is important to understand the decay chain from radon. Since radon is inert, essentially you breath it in and right back out again and get little radiation from radon itself, even though it is an alpha particle emitter. Because of its half-life of about 4 days, relatively little or none will decay during the time a breath of air is in the lung. However, the decay products, namely Po-218 and 214, are charged atoms that attach to dust particles in the air. These decay products then go wherever the dust goes. When dusts are inhaled most are also exhaled, but not all. Some of the dust with the decay products are collected on surface linings of the trachea and bronchi and reside there long enough for the release of alpha particles into sensitive tissues of the bronchial epithelium. The decay products have very short half-lives and thus may release most of their alpha energy before being cleared from the lungs. The alpha particle energy can then possibly cause damage to these tissues. Thus the lung cancer risk from radon is not from radon directly, but due to inhalation of the alpha emitting decay products attached to dust particles.

What is the Radon Problem? Radon gives 74% of avg. natural radiation dose

229 mrem/yr (according to NCRP at 1.3 pCi / L) 212 from radon decay products, 17 from thoron 21,000 lung cancer deaths / yr in U.S.

according to USEPA EPA calculated risks for lifetime exposure to 1.3 pCi/L

(70% occupancy) 20 in 1,000 for current smokers 2 in 1,000 for non-smokers

Extrapolated from studies of underground uranium miners


Presenter

Presentation Notes

According to the NCRP (Report 160), at the average radon concentration in homes across the US of 1.3 pCi/L, this will result in an annual dose of 229 mrem. 212 from radon- 222 decay products 17 from radon -220 (thoron) decay products The USEPA says that radon exposure in homes could lead to 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year, out of a total of about 160,000 lung cancer deaths a year in the US. These estimates of deaths due to radon were originally determined on the basis of evidence for excess lung cancer deaths in underground uranium miners. Over the past 20 years, however, several studies have shown increased lung cancer risk from radon exposures in homes. There are no federal or state regulations regarding radon, so homeowners have to decide on the risk and whether to spend their own money to reduce the risks The good news about radon is that it is easy to measure and easy to fix.


Presenter

Presentation Notes

National Cancer Institute's 2010 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) estimated US mortality numbers. About 565,000 people die in the US each year form some type of cancer Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. every year (American Cancer Society, 2004). Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.

http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2007/results_single/sect_01_table.01.pdf

On The Other Hand Schneeburg Study (Belgium) shows decrease risk at

low levels; no increase risk until > 6 – 10 pCi/L


On The Other Hand (cont’d)

Fornalski KW, Dobrzyński L. Pooled Bayesian analysis of twenty-eight studies on radon induced lung cancers. Health Physics, vol. 101, no. 3, pp. 265-273; 2011 Conclusion - no evidence for excess lung cancer risk below

800 Bq/m3 (approximately 6 pCi/L) Excess risk of lung cancer due to low concentrations of

radon has been neither empirically detected nor theoretically demonstrated


Predicted Fraction of Homes Over 4 pCi/L

Radon levels vary widely in the USA. Based on EPA’s guidance, we would expect to see higher rate of lung cancers in the higher radon areas colored green, yellow, and red in the above map.

http://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/radon-risk-website.html


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_homes_over_recommended_radon_levels.gif

http://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/radon-risk-website.html

Lung Cancer Mortality Rates in the USA (1970-2004)

Lung Cancer Rates vary widely across the USA

From: https://ratecalc.cancer.gov/ratecalc/


https://ratecalc.cancer.gov/ratecalc/

https://ratecalc.cancer.gov/ratecalc/

Radon Levels and Lung Cancer in USA

Higher radon counties (green, yellow, red) correspond to mostly lower rates of lung cancer (blue). Higher lung cancer counties (red) correspond mostly to lowest radon areas (blue).



A few Examples of TENORM

Oil field pipe scale (radium) Oil field / refinery sludge (radium) Geothermal waste (radium) Denver radium waste (radium recovery) Drinking water purification waste

(radium - uranium) Metals from certain ores Paper making (Alum) (radium)

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Oil Field Waste NORM radionuclides may be

concentrated in the oil recovery process Radium is more soluble in brine solutions

than uranium or thorium Carbonates and sulfates of calcium,

barium, and strontium may precipitate as pipe scale (divalent cations) Radium will also precipitate in pipe scale Sludge in refineries will also contain

radium 32


Oil Field Waste: Radionuclide Content

Average Sludge Average Scale Radionuclide pCi / g pCi / g 210 Po 56 360 210 Pb 56 360 226 Ra 56 360 228 Th 19 120 228 Ra 19 120 Total 206 1,320 * EPA Data

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TENORM Pipe Scale



NORM Pipe Scale Found in pipe scale, 2 – 3 mR / hr in contact Deposits of radium with barium sulfate

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Gas Pipeline “Pigging” Waste


Measurable radon in natural gas Results in Pb-210; 22

year half-life Po-210 5.3 MeV alpha Po is electrostatic Po attaches to rust Potential inhalation

hazard

TENORM in Pipeline Pigs

37 Dade Moeller, an NV5 Company

Oil Field Wastes

Production Water Production Sludge


Water issues Large quantities (15,000 m3) used as part of

fracturing fluids; depletion of water resources Waste water; flow back water (injection fluids),

production water (saline water liberated along with O&G)

API estimates: 10 barrels of water recovered per barrel of oil; 18 billion barrels of waste fluid produced per year

Environmental Issues


PA TENORM Study Average Results (Bq/g or *Bq/L)

Well Sites/Pads 226Ra 238U 228Ra

Vertical Cuttings 0.1 0.06 N/A

Horizontal Cuttings 0.2 0.3 N/A

Fracking Fluid *200 N/A *20

Flowback Water *300 N/A N/A

Produced Water *200 N/A N/A

Drill Muds *80 N/A N/A


Radiation exposures during operations Emissions (air/water) Radon Contamination control Lack of regulated disposal

Public Radon, transportation, waste management

Legacy contamination after well site decommissioning

Special Concerns



Other NORM Wastes

Material Million Tons/yr

Ra – 226 pCi/g

µR/hr

Phosphate 40 33 60

Coal Slag 43 3.7 7

Petroleum 0.6 155 280

Mineral Proc. 1 billion T/y 35 60

Water Treat. 0.3 16 30

Geothermal 0.07 160 300

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Waste Forms Bulk solid waste (soil, rubble, debris) Industrial / mining waste Must be consistent with RCRA Permit Some treatment may be required, consistent

with current procedures Drinking water treatment waste

may require solidification Treatment to encapsulate arsenic

or other metals

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U.S. Future?

Given the global recognition of the problem, what are the future/current options in the U.S.

Confluence of history, science, and common sense State/CRCPD activities Industry evaluations and self-regulation? A harmonized approach?


Purpose: To prepare a Commentary that provides: Recommendations for a Uniform Approach for Hydraulic Fracturing NORM/ TENORM Waste Disposal and lays the ground work for a more comprehensive Report…

Consistent with NCRP Mission: to formulate and widely disseminate radiation protection recommendations

NCRP SC 5-2


David Allard PDEP Martin Barrie ORAU Phil Egidi U.S. EPA Gary Forsee Illinois Environmental Compliance Raymond Johnson Radiation Safety Counseling Inst. Andrew Lombardo PermaFix Ruth McBurney CRCPD John Frazier Consultant Co-Chair W.E. Kennedy, Jr. Dade Moeller Co-Chair

SC 5-2 Membership


What’s Next? Awareness training

Ethical and legal responsibility to protect workers OSHA and employee right-to-know regulations

Radiation surveys/sampling To confirm compliance and safety (PA lead)

Workplace/environmental monitoring? Changing regulatory/public opinion landscape

Litigation avoidance!



NORM Summary Numerous natural radionuclides,

at low concentrations

Predominantly uranium, thorium, radium

Found in all materials coming from the ground

Pipe scale, sludges, wastes

Concerns for worker safety and environmental protection

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Alan Fellman, Senior Health Physicist 301-990-6006 [email protected]

Documents

Properties of NORM - NDSC Conference/C16 NORM 101 Dade...Since ra對don is a noble gas it does not combine with anything and once formed in the ground radon atoms are free to move