Environmental monitoring report, 1978: Pinellas Plant

Effluent and environmental monitoring programs maintained by the Pinellas Plant are designed to determine efficiencies of treatment and control mechanisms; to provide measurements of discharge concentrations for comparison with applicable standards; and to assess the concentrations of these discharges in the environment. Small quantities of tritium gas, tritium oxide and krypton-85 gas were released from the plant during the year. Average maximum ground level concentrations of these radioisotopes were all significantly less than 1/10 of 1 percent of the recommended guide for continuous nonoccupational exposure. Off-site releases of liquid effluents were analyzed for compliance with NPDES permit issues for this site by the U.S. Environmental protection Agency. Analyses were performed fo biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, fecal coliform bacteria, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, chlorides, chromium, copper, cyanides, detergents, fluorides, iron, lead, mercury, oil plus greases, phenols, turbidity and zinc. All results with the exception of suspended solids were well within permit limits. Site perimeter and off-site air samples for tritium gas and tritium oxide, as well as off-site surface water samples obtained to distances of 9.6 kilometers from the plant site and analyzed for tritium content, showed levels significantly less than 1/10 of 1 percent of the recommended guide for continuous nonoccupational exposure. Calculations were made to determine the radiation doses resulting from releases of tritium oxide and krypton-85 to: an individual at the site boundary; individuals in the closest residential area; and the population within 80 kilometers of the plant site. Calculated doses are exceedingly small when compared to the recommended standards. The total dose commitment to the population residing within 80 kilometers was determined to be 0.40 man-rem as compared to annual dose from natural radiation of 210,747 man-rem