Vermont Department of Health Laboratory

Transcription

1 Vermont Department of Health Laboratory VDHL Radiation response Empire 09 Vermont Yankee Tritium 2010 George Mills, June 9, 2010

2 VDHL Radiochemistry General Duties Vermont Department of Health Laboratory (VDHL) currently tests private and public drinking water systems throughout the state, radon in air and water and also tests environmental monitoring samples around the VT Yankee nuclear power plant (air, soil, milk, fish, vegetation, drinking, surface and ground water). Part of Food Emergency Response Network for radiological food terrorism response Train and practice to respond to a release event at VT Yankee

3 VDHL Counting room Gamma

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6 VDHL Goals Empire 09 June 1-5, Goal 2: Test and evaluate the VDH Laboratory (VDH Lab) capability to receive, analyze and document results for radiological samples obtained in response to an RDD. Objective 1: Demonstrate the ability to safely transfer and accurately document ingestion pathway radiological samples taken from the field in Bennington County, Vermont to the VDH Lab in Burlington, Vermont. Objective 2: Demonstrate the ability to properly receive and document radiological samples from the transfer courier into the VDH Lab. Objective 3: Demonstrate the ability to analyze requested samples and data. Objective 4: Demonstrate the ability to transmit radiological sample analysis results to the Dose Assessment Team and Radiological Health Advisor at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).

7 New England Compact Vermont is part of the New England Compact Scenario in NY caused VT to request assistance from the Compact

8 Sample Field teams in VT 2 CST, 4 VT RST and 4 EPA CST and VT RST (Radiological Sampling Team) are from VT, while the EPA team was formed by Region 1 EPA as a Radiological Emergency Response Team - composed of EPA full-time staff, EPA contractors and US Coast Guard spill response strike teams Samples were obtained in an area equal to 1/3 the total area of Vermont, or about 300 square miles.

9 Samples taken by Teams Media 2-Jun 3-Jun Total Air Eggs Silage Soil Wild Forage Surface Water Drinking Water Totals

10 VDHL Empire 09 Samples received: 50 all types +5 Spikes from LLNL Samples Tested: Soil - 6 Vegetation - 10 Surface water - 3 Drinking water - 2 Milk - 1 Eggs - 1 Spike soil 2 Spike air filter 3 Total analyzed - 28 samples Started with Spiked samples: spiked samples tested were those provided by Robb Hadley and shared one spiked soil with the CT Mobile Lab. Connecticut mobile lab received soil and other priority samples in Pittsford.

11 Standardization Development or acceptance of a standardized field sampling protocols and forms (FRMAC?). New England Compact field teams wanted to use their team procedures to collect samples.

12 Personnel Plan for extended responses with adequate personnel trained for analytical and other tasks Beyond days of this kind of response, people will burn out w/ 12 hr. shifts

13 Sample coordination - supplies Effective long-term storage of samples needed Will require extra cold storage of samples. Procedure for acquisition of refrigerated storage should be developed - perhaps with a refrigerated trailer at VDHL. Re-evaluation evaluation of stored supplies Need more consumables for large-scale responses Add provision in plans for rapid ordering of needed supplies for extended responses

14 Sample coordination - supplies Number of samples started to swamp our capacity Practice with realistic workload to see how your lab does. Supplies we thought we had ordered were actually not ordered so we were running out of Marinelli beakers Also ran out of space to move samples into rad.

15 Communications/Positions/SOP s Expand customer service role to include copying, faxing and filing of results. Messenger role could be expanded to help more with samples. Continue to assign each Analyst with two Assistant Analyst positions for sample accession and prep Train more people outside chemistry areas for rad response - just in time training needed - plan for it

16 Data improvements E09 Improve VDHL reporting format - manual - need to revise formats, forms. Create standard statements for less than MDA/ RLA for consistency between shifts. Implement a LIMS system -option of transmitting data electronically. Identify additional data sharing mechanisms Determine if Requestor wants DW laboratory results for gamma, alpha, beta to be reported as ready or all together for a sample. Data Quality Objectives (DQOs( DQOs) ) need to be either pre- defined and/or defined/refined and communicated as analytical needs evolve. After action report August 2009

17 VY Tritium Response January 7, 2010 VDH notified by VY about H-3 3 detected in monitoring well, VDHL results confirmed received 5 samples 1/15 received 4 samples 1/19 received 2 samples 1/22 received 18 samples (set up basic Access DB for tracking, starting using response numbering)

18 Press VY re-licensing Already an active political debate about re- licensing in VT H-3 3 reported in ground water and earlier testimony from VY officials about lack of underground pipes that would carry radioactive materials caused distrust between public, elected government officials and VY

19 False positive An important development was a false positive test result on a groundwater monitoring well sample from well GZ-1. On January 19, 2010, Vermont Yankee reported a positive test result of 9,540 pci/l from this well. Later that day, VY officials expressed concern with the accuracy of that measurement. On January 20, 2010, VY confirmed that additional samples and recounting of the original sample showed that well GZ-1 1 was, in fact, not contaminated. (from VDH Archive)

20 VDHL Analytical schedules Count times : Environmental testing: Gamma spectroscopy seconds, Tritium 250 minutes Screening for VY Tritium 2010 response: Gamma spectroscopy seconds, Tritium 120 minutes. Manual sample switch for gamma

21 Reporting levels We urged that less than values be used to report to the public and we set our H-3 H screen reporting level at 500 pci/l

22 Storage of samples This is what part of our lab looked like before increased monitoring. NRC License requires that we keep materials in designated areas

23 Acceptance Criteria Please follow the VDHL sample acceptance criteria for determining what samples can be shipped: Vermont Department of Health Lab (VDHL) sample acceptance criteria or guidelines for VY tritium samples: Sample acceptance policy for tritium VY samples in order of priority: 1. Water, fish, vegetation, soil and sediment samples below 500 counts per minute (cpm( cpm) on the survey meter will be accepted for analysis. 500 cpm at a distance ½ inch (surface/contact) with a handheld meter such as a Ludlum model 14 C survey meter with a GM probe. 2. Tritium water samples- as screened by VY, no more than 250,000 pci/l /L.

24 Sample shipping/storage Samples to Montreal, held by FedEx Courier NRC lic.. Needed to be amended for extra space Took many months to establish an offsite place to store non contaminated samples no H-3. H An ongoing issue for us sample frequency/location/routine monitoring

25 Storage off site

26 Storage off site

27 Meetings Daily for nearly two months with Health Operations Center - now twice/week Planning meetings: shipping, storage, Chain of custody, seals, containers, sampling team, training, contract laboratory services, NRC license, acceptance policy/criteria, power plant personnel, couriers, buses, reporting, tracking of results and samples took managers away from the lab routine functions.

28 Logistics The lab often had to explain what we were trying to accomplish/buy/establish took much time away from accomplishing tasks.

29 healthvermont.gov/

30 Overview of Current Sampling Locations for VY Tritium (May 2010) Site Type (total qty: 46) Off-site wells (11) On-site wells (28) CT River (7) Qty of wells/locations sampled Site Description/Type 1 Vernon Elementary School 1 Vernon Green Nursing Home 2 Farms 3 Private Residences 2 Other Public Water (Fire Dept, EOC) 2 VY-owned buildings (drinking water) 22 GZ wells 4 Routine monitoring wells (0202->0204) 2 Drinking Water 1 Upstream 1 Downstream 1 Upstream of the Discharge 4 Routine monitoring stations (e.g., 3-3) 3)

31 Summary of the Vermont Sampling & Laboratory status for samples related to VY Tritium since January 2010 as of 5/12/2010 Number of Samples Received at VDHL 507 Number of Samples Estimated Pending Shipment to Contract Lab 52 Number of Samples Estimated Pending Shipment to VDH (water) 84 SAMPLES COLLECTED by SITE TYPE SUM 643 Total Samples On-site 411 Total Samples Off-site 232 SUM 643 Samples related solely to this event 599 SAMPLE TYPES RECEIVED at VDHL: Monitoring Well 279 Drinking Water Sources 214 CT River (surface water) 96 Fish 4 Sediment 2 Soil 38 Vegetation 1

32 ANALYSES REQUESTED at VDHL For tritium 448 For gamma spectrometry 353 For gross alpha 38 For gross beta 38 ANALYSES COMPLETED by VDHL For tritium 426 For gamma spectrometry 332 For gross alpha 28 For gross beta 28 REPORT STATUS at VDHL Final 468 Pending 27 Preliminary 0 SUM 877 SUM 814 SUM 495

33 Questions/End W. George Mills, Cecylia Karch, Mary Celotti,