Potential primary contaminants at the various operable units of the Rocky Flats Plant

Although detailed information about contaminants at the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) has been compiled, no clear description of the nature and location of the largest spills and most critical contaminant releases has been prepared. To provide this description, historical use and release information was assessed. Sites with small amounts or low concentrations of contaminants or with unsubstantiated reports of contaminated were excluded. After these minor or doubtful constituents were deleted, fifteen contaminants remained. The fifteen contaminants can be grouped into five categories: (1) solvents (carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, trichloroethane, methylene chloride and acetone); (2) actinides (plutonium, americium, uranium, and tritium); (3) oils (hydraulic and lathe oils, and number 6 fuel oil); (4) metals (chromium and lithium); and (5) nitrates. The most important potential primary contaminant is carbon tetrachloride because very large quantities were used at RFP. There are also significant quantities of chlorinated solvents and nitrates, both of which were heavily used. Actinides are present in substantial concentrations in only a few locations. Operable Unit (OU) 16 had no potential primary contaminants and OUs 3, 5, 11 and 15 each had only one. The resultant shortened and simplified list allows the most important contaminants and the most probable media to receive first priority, thereby affording a more rational approach to treatment evaluation and selection