Introduction
In this report you will find a listing of the names of 237 radionuclides that Hanford released into the air and into the Columbia River. This report will also briefly describe what would need to be done to estimate the amount released for each of the radionuclides.
During the years that Hanford produced plutonium for use in nuclear weapons, hundreds of different radionuclides were released into the environment. The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project (HEDR) calculated release estimates for about two dozen radionuclides. Of these, HEDR calculated dose estimates for only 11 radionuclides. The HEDR Project�s preliminary work indicated that those 11 accounted for more than 99 percent of the total dose a person was likely to have received from Hanford. However, some citizens wanted a more comprehensive release estimate.
Over the past several years, many downwinders have asked the Network for more information. They want to know about the other radioactive elements (or radionuclides) released from Hanford in addition to the 11 that HEDR used in the calculation of dose estimates. Some downwinders want this information to enable them to do further research on their own while others feel they should have the most complete information possible.
The Hanford Health Information Network�s initial investigation indicated that it was not possible for the Network to determine (independent from HEDR) what other radionuclides were released or to estimate the total amounts released. It was then decided, in consultation with the HHIN Resource Center Citizen Advisory Board, that many downwinders would find it useful to know at least the names of the radionuclides. The Network located listings of the radionuclides� names among some of HEDR�s preliminary work.
The HEDR reference that provided the names of the 237 radionuclides is titled �Selection of Dominant Radionuclides for Phase I of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project� (PNL-7231 HEDR). The following tables are derived from Appendix D (for atmospheric releases) and Appendix E (for river releases) of the Dominant Radionuclides report. HEDR provided release estimates for about two dozen radionuclides and these estimates are included in the following tables.
Radionuclides Estimated To Have Been Released to the Air 1
The following (Table 1) is a listing of 166 radionuclides estimated to have been released to the air from nuclear weapons production activities at Hanford, from 1944 through 1972. The order of the list is the same as in the HEDR reference report and represents a ranking related to the degree of contribution to radiation dose. This particular ranking scheme used only a gross estimate of relative radionuclide inventories and no Hanford-specific environmental data, so the ranking implied in the ordering is somewhat different than the ranking that led to the selection of the radionuclides used in the HEDR dose estimates.2 The release estimates in the table below come from more recent HEDR reports (see References list).
Legend for Tables 1 and 2
Radionuclide � name of the radioactive isotope released from Hanford. (Isotopes are
different forms of a chemical element which have the same number of protons but a
different number of neutrons.)
m � For some of the radionuclides, the isotope numbers are followed by an �m.� This
�m� stands for metastable which denotes a metastable state for that
radionuclide.
Metastable means that the atom is only slightly stable, and will continue its decay process
after a delay.
Example: The table shows that tellurium-129m is metastable, has a
Physical Half-Life � The length of time in which one half of the material decays. The values have been rounded to the first place after the decimal point. In the Half-Life column, there are letters following the numbers. The letters refer to the unit of time: �s� for second, �m� for minute, �h� for hour, �d� for day and �y� for year.
HEDR Release Estimate � For certain radionuclides, HEDR estimated how much was
released into the atmosphere or into the Columbia River. The release estimate is also
known as the source term. The estimates are in a measuring unit called a curie. Curie is the
unit used in measuring radioactivity. It is equal to the quantity of any radioactive material
in which the number of atoms that decay each second is 37 billion. The release estimates
have been rounded from the values listed in the referenced reports.
Radionuclides Estimated To Have Been Released to Columbia River6
Table 2 lists 71 radionuclides released to the Columbia River from the operation of
Hanford�s plutonium production reactors, from 1944 through 1971. The order of this list is the same as in the Battelle-PNL reference document. It lists the radionuclides by their mass number. The mass number is the number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus of an atom. The release estimates come from more recent HEDR reports (see References list).
Incompleteness and Uncertainty of Release Estimates
HEDR did not consider all of the points at which the 237 radionuclides (the 166 released
to the air and the 71 released to the river) were released into the environment. Based on
the preliminary work, HEDR scientists were satisfied that they had identified the most
important release points. Because of the incompleteness of HEDR�s work and the gaps in
the historical documentation, there is some uncertainty in the HEDR release estimates.
Other sources of uncertainty include unknown accuracy of historical measurements and
assumptions that form the basis for computer calculations.
The HEDR Project is not completed yet and several tasks are planned that will lead to
changes in HEDR�s release estimates, such as those involving the plutonium and
ruthenium particles. In addition to the HEDR work, other scientists are estimating Hanford�s releases of radioactive materials. As new information becomes available, this HHIN report will be updated.
Approach for Reconstructing Releases Amounts
How would somebody estimate
The HEDR Project obtained this information for the 11 radionuclides included in the 1994 representative dose estimates. To obtain this information for the additional
radionuclides, an extensive review of thousands of pages of HEDR reports and Hanford historical documents would be required.
To compile a truly comprehensive estimate of Hanford�s releases of radioactive materials,
one would also need to consider the following additional sources: releases to the air from underground waste storage tanks, fires in processing areas and burial grounds, laboratories and experimental facilities, and releases due to accidents.
For a more complete description of reconstructing release amounts, please refer to
Chapter 3, �Estimating and Confirming the Source Term,� in the National Research
Council�s 1995 book, Radiation Dose Reconstruction for Epidemiologic Uses.
References
Note: The documents listed below with a �PNWD� number are reports prepared by
Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory while under contract to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. The documents listed below with a �PNL� or �BN� number are
reports prepared by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory while under contract to the
U.S. Department of Energy.
1. Derived from Appendix D (pp. D.1-D.6) in B.A. Napier "Selection of Dominant Radionuclides for Phase 1 of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project," PNL-7231
HEDR, July 1991.
Heeb, C.M. �Radionuclide Releases to the Atmosphere from Hanford Operations, 1944-
1972.�
PNWD-2222 HEDR. May 1994.
Heeb, C.M., and D.J. Bates. �Radionuclide Releases to the Columbia River from Hanford
Operations, 1944-1971.� PNWD-2223 HEDR. May 1994.
Heeb, C.M., and S.P. Gydesen. �Sources of Secondary Radionuclide Releases from
Hanford Operations.� PNWD-2254 HEDR. May 1994.
Napier, B.A. �Determination of Radionuclides and Pathways Contributing to Cumulative
Dose,
HEDR Dose Code Recovery Activities�Calculation 004.� BN-SA-3673 HEDR.
December 1992.
Napier, B.A. �Selection of Dominant Radionuclides for Phase I of the Hanford
Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project.� PNL-7231 HEDR. July 1991.
National Research Council�s Committee on an Assessment of CDC Radiation Studies.
Radiation Dose Reconstruction for Epidemiologic Uses. Washington, DC: National
Academy Press, 1995.
Robkin, M.A., and B. Shleien. �Estimated Maximum Thyroid Doses from I-129 Releases
from the
Hanford Site for the Years 1944-1995.� Health Physics, Vol. 69 (6), December 1995, pp.
917-922.
Table 1
Radionuclides Released to the Air (1944-1972)
Radionuclide
Physical Half-Life
in seconds (s), minutes (m),
hours (h), days (d) or years (y)
HEDR Release Estimate
(in curies)
(where provided by HEDR)iodine-131
8.0 d
739,000 ruthenium-103
39.3 d
1,200 ruthenium-106
368.2 d
390 cobalt-60
5.3 y
1 zirconium-95
64.0 d
1,200 iodine-132
2.3 h
3,820 cerium-144
284.3 d
3,770 cesium-137
30.0 y
42 strontium-90
29.1 y
64 yttrium-91
58.5 d
- strontium-89
50.5 d
700 barium-140
12.7 d
- niobium-95
35.2 d
- tellurium-129m
33.6 d
- cerium-141
32.5 d
- plutonium-239
24,065 y
2 xenon-133
5.3 d
418,000 praseodymium-143
13.6 d
- lanthanum-140
40.3 h
- cesium-134
2.1 y
- neodymium-147
11 d
- plutonium-240
6,540 y
- iodine-129
15,700,000 y
46 plutonium-241
14.4 y
- antimony-125
2.8 y
- tellurium-132
78.2 h
- cesium-136
13.1 d
- promethium-148m
41.3 d
- plutonium-238
87.7 y
- promethium-147
2.6 y
- europium-154
8.8 y
- xenon-131
11.9 d
- silver-111
7.5 d
- tin-125
9.6 d
- cadmium-115m
44.6 d
- iron-59
44.5 d
- yttrium-90
64.0 h
- tellurium-125m
58 d
- europium-155
5 y
- niobium-95m
88.6 h
- neptunium-239
2.4 d
- promethium-148
5.4 d
- silver-110m
249.9 d
- krypton-85
10.7 y
18,500,000 uranium-238
4,470,000,000 y
- americium-241
432.3 y
- molybdenum-99
66.0 h
- neptunium-237
2,140,000 y
- rubidium-86
18.7 d
- antimony-124
60.2 d
- cobalt-58
70.8 d
- curium-242
162.8 d
- manganese-54
312.5 d
- praseodymium-144
17.3 m
- xenon-133m
2.2 d
- tin-126
10,000 y
- iron-55
2.7 y
- tin-119m
293 d
- uranium-235
703,800,000 y
- technetium-99
213,000 y
- europium-152
13.3 y
- samarium-151
90 y
- rhodium-106
29.9 s
- uranium-236
23,400,00 y
- rhodium-103m
56.1 m
- silver 108m
127 y
- barium-137m
2.6 m
- tellurium-129
69.6 m
- promethium-149
53.1 h
- technetium-99m
6.0 h
- thorium-234
24.1 d
- plutonium-236
2.9 y
- iodine-133
20.8 h
- curium-244
18.1 y
- plutonium-242
376,000
- cadmium-115
53.5 h
- americium-243
7,380 y
- zinc-65
243.9 d
- cesium-132
6.5 d
- uranium-234
244,500 y
- zirconium-93
1,530,000 y
- samarium-153
46.7 h
- cesium-135
2,300,000 y
- nickel-63
96 y
- chromium-51
27.7 d
- tin-117m
13.6 d
- gadolinium-153
242 d
- tritium (H-3)
12.4 y
200,0003 carbon-14
5,730 y
554 cerium-143
33 h
- curium-243
28.5 y
- tin-121m
55 y
- cadmium-109
464 d
- antimony-122
2.7 d
- indium-115m
4.5 h
- xenon-129m
8.0 d
- niobium-94
20,300 y
- plutonium-237
45.3 d
- holmium-166m
1,230 y
- protactinium-231
32,760 y
- nickel-59
75,000 y
- xenon-127
36.4 d
- thorium-231
25.5 h
- niobium-93m
13.6 y
- gallium-72
14.1 h
- arsenic-77
38.8 h
- thorium-228
1.9 y
- bromine-82
35.3 h
- silver-110
24.6 s
- actinium-227
21.8 y
- curium-245
8,500 y
- samarium-147
106,000,000,000 y
- radon-224
3.7 d
- tin-121
27.1 h
- thulium-170
128.6 d
- thorium-230
77,000 y
- radon-220
55.6 s
- beryllium-10
1,600,000 y
- curium-246
4,730 y
- lead-212
10.6 d
- curium-241
32.8 d
- silver-108
2.4 m
- thorium-229
7,340 y
- zirconium-97
16.9 h
- copper-67
61.9 h
- krypton-81
210,000 y
- bismuth-212
60.6 m
- nickel-66
64.6 h
- arsenic-76
26.3 h
- niobium-97
72.1 m
- thorium-232
14,050,000,000 y
- radon-222
3.8 d
- thallium-208
3.1 m
- niobium-97m
60 s
- praseodymium-142
19.13 h
- radon-225
14.8 d
- indium-115
500,000,000,000,000 y
- barium-135 m
28.7 h
- thulium-171
1.9 y
- iodine-130
12.4 h
- lead-210
22.3 y
- radium-226
1,600 y
- gadolinium-152
108,000,000,000,000 y
- polonium-210
138.4 d
- radium-228
5.8 y
- krypton-79
35 h
- palladium-109
13.4 h
- uranium-240
14.1 h
- bismuth-210
5 d
- scandium-48
43.7 h
- curium-248
339,000 y
- actinium-228
6.1 h
- berkelium-249
320 d
- sodium-24
15 h
- lead-214
26.8 m
- bismuth-214
19.9 m
- xenon-135
9.1 h
- copper-64
12.7 h
- californium-249
350.6 y
- calcium-47
4.5 d
- strontium-91
9.5 h
- yttrium-91m
49.7 m
- magnesium-28
20.9 h
- aluminum-28
2.2 m
- europium-152m
9.3 h
- argon-41
1.83 h
9,000,000
Table 2
Radionuclides Released to the Columbia River (1944-1971)
Radionuclide
Physical Half-Life
in seconds (s), minutes (m),
hours (h), days (d) or years (y)
HEDR Release Estimate7
(in curies)
(where provided by
HEDR)tritium (H-3)
12.3 y
- sodium-24
15 h
13,000,000 silicon-31
2.6 h
- phosphorus-32
14.3 d
230,000 calcium-45
165 d
- scandium-46
83.8 d
120,000 chromium-51
27.7 d
7,200,000 manganese-54
312.5 d
- manganese-56
2.6 h
80,000,000 iron-59
44.5 d
- cobalt-60
5.3 y
- copper-64
12.7 h
- nickel-65
2.5 h
- zinc-65
243.9 d
500,000 zinc-69m
13.8 h
- gallium-72
3.3 d
3,700,000 arsenic-76
26.3 h
2,500,000 strontium-87m
2.8 h
- strontium-89
50.5 d
- strontium-90
29.1 y
- yttrium-90
64 h
450,000 strontium-91
9.5 h
- yttrium-91
58.5 d
- strontium-92
2.7 h
- yttrium-92
3.5 h
- yttrium-93
10.1 h
- zirconium-95
64 d
- niobium-95
35.2 d
- molybdenum-99
66 h
- technetium-99
213,000 y
- ruthenium-103
39.3 d
- ruthenium-106
368.2 d
- antimony-122
2.7 d
- antimony-124
60.2 d
- iodine-131
8.0 d
48,000 iodine-132
2.3 h
- iodine-133
20.8 h
- iodine-134
52.6 m
- iodine-135
6.6 h
- cesium-136
13.1 d
- cesium-137
30 y
- cesium-138
32.2 m
- barium-139
82.7 m
- barium-140
12.7 d
- lanthanum-140
40.3 h
- cerium-141
32.5 d
- cerium-143
33 h
- cerium-144
284.3 d
- praseodymium-142
19.1 h
- praseodymium-143
13.6 d
- praseodymium-147
13.4 m
- promethium-147
2.6 y
- promethium-149
53.1 h
- promethium-151
28.4 h
- samarium-153
46.7 h
- europium-152m
96 m
- europium-152
13.3 y
- europium-156
15.2 d
- gadolinium-153
241.6 d
- gadolinium-159
18.6 h
- terbium-160
72.3 d
- terbium-161
6.9 d
- dysprosium-165
2.3 h
- holmium-166
1,230 y
- erbium-169
9.4 d
- erbium-171
7.5 h
- thorium-232
14,050,000,000 y
- uraniun-238
4,468,000,000 y
- plutonium-239
24,065 y
- plutonium-240
6,537 y
- neptunium-239
2.4 d
6,300,000
Potential Health Problems from Exposure to Selected Radionuclides, Fall 1994
Radionuclides in the Columbia River, Summer 1995
