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Update on Tritium Investigation Near g-2 Experiment

Update on Tritium Investigation Near g-2 Experiment. Bet Zimmerman Environmental Services Division Manager Brookhaven Executive Roundtable Community Advisory Council December 1999. Summary. BNL’s Groundwater Protection Program includes enhanced groundwater monitoring

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Update on Tritium Investigation Near g-2 Experiment

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  1. Update on Tritium Investigation Near g-2 Experiment Bet Zimmerman Environmental Services Division Manager Brookhaven Executive Roundtable Community Advisory Council December 1999

  2. Summary • BNL’s Groundwater Protection Program includes enhanced groundwater monitoring • Detected tritium above drinking water standards near g-2 physics experiment • Source is g-2 activated soil shielding, leaching by rainwater • Solution is to redesign experiment to reduce activation and install cap to prevent leaching • No tritium in drinking water supplies

  3. Groundwater Protection Program • Relies on operational and engineered controls to prevent groundwater contamination • Monitoring used to determine whether controls are effective and whether additional actions are needed • BNL is installing over 80 new wells to monitor research and support facilities • In early 1999, installed 4 new wells around the g-2 experiment to monitor potential soil activation areas

  4. G-2 Physics Experiment

  5. Existing Activated Soil Controls at V Target and g-2 Beam Stop Gunnite Cap Over g-2 Beam Stop Rubber Membrane Over g-2 Target Cave Paved Area Extends Underneath Target Hall And Beam Stop

  6. Groundwater Monitoring Results • In November, tritium higher than drinking water standard seen at Well 054-067 • Launched investigation to: • Verify according to plan • Characterize nature and extent of contamination • Identify source • Installed 18 Geoprobes, collected samples from various depths

  7. Groundwater monitoring locations

  8. Results • Pencil-shaped plume ~ 30 ft wide x 250 ft long • Tritium (drinking water standard 20,000 pCi/L) • ~38 of 74 samples near or below detection limits for tritium • Highest tritium concentration 1.8M pCi/L, 70 feet from source • Sodium-22 (drinking water standard 400 pCi/L) • ~28 of 40 nondetect for sodium-22 • Highest sodium-22 concentration 60 pCi/L • Tritium + sodium-22 indicates soil activation • Source is soil activation next to VQ12 magnet that is part of g-2 experiment • Nearest BNL drinking water well monitored monthly--no tritium detected

  9. Corrective Actions • Tune particle beam to minimize soil activation. Monitor effectiveness. • Continue groundwater monitoring. • Model to ensure monitoring system is adequate. • Installed expanded concrete cap to prevent rainwater from leaching activation products out of soil.

  10. Activated Soil Near VQ12 Magnet New Rain Barrier …………………………………. …………………………………. …………………………………. Soil Shielding …………………………………. Activated Soil Beam re-tuned to reduce impact on VQ12 Magnet Groundwater Table EL 45’

  11. Conclusion • Systematic approach identified a problem. • Within weeks, Investigative Team determined extent of contamination and source, and BNL is fixing the problem. • Tritium not threatening drinking water supply • Tritium not expected to move offsite at detectable levels. • In the future, possible that enhanced monitoring system may detect other problems. • If this occurs, we will use monitoring data to help determine what corrective actions are needed. • Must continue to work hard to control or eliminate pollution at the source in order to protect groundwater quality.

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