[en] Salicylic acid has been tested (for environmental importance) to extract U from input phosphate ore of Abu-Zaabal phosphate plant, Egypt prior to its processing for production of phosphatic fertilizers. Uranyl ion forms with this acid three stable complexes; namely [UO₂ Sal] degree, [U O₂ SaL₂]^2- and UO₂ SaL-3]^4- depending on the total uranyl and salicylic acid concentrations and their ratios. Study of relevant extraction factors revealed however that, the extraction process is controlled by the amount of salicylic acid used, alcohol/aqueous ratio, solid/liquid ratio and time of agitation. The obtained results showed that uranium is selectively leached by the application of such a leaching reagent. In order to recover U from the obtained pregnant leach liquor, the latter is adjusted by ammonia to PH 5-6.5, where the crystalline pp t of N H₄[UO₂ SaL₃]₄ H₂O has formed. This precipitation has been carried out after concentrating the obtained pregnant leach liquor by its recycle for U extraction from new ore batches. The precipitated ammonium uranyl tri salicylate is calcined at 500 degree C for obtaining pure orange yellow trioxide (UO₃) powder. On the basis of one ton ore treatment, an economic flowsheet for U recover y from the study ore material has been suggested

[en] The effect of water-miscible alcohols and acetone on the extraction and separation of Cd and Zn chlorides by TOPO was systematically investigated. The maximum extraction of Zn chloride with 0.1 M TOPO decreases in the order: acetone> methanol> ethanol> 2-propanol> 2-butanol. For alcohols, the sequence of decreasing extractability is thus parallel to the order of their dielectric constants. This can be explained by the increase of HCl extraction by TOPO in the same direction. The presence of additives in the polar phase prevents the formation of a bulky white precipitate encountered during extraction of Zn Cl₂ from pure aqueous solutions. A decrease of Cd chloride extraction was generally noticed in presence of additives; this is more noticeable for the longer chain alcohols. The highest separation factor (E) for Zn Cl₂ and Cd Cl₂ in 0.4 M HCl is obtained from 30% methanol (13.8 compared to about 3.8 in absence of methanol) and from 10-20% acetone where it reaches 30

[en] Alpha particle degradation experiments were performed on polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic samples typical of Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) transuranic (TRU) waste. This was done to evaluate the effects of sealing TRU waste during shipment. Experiments were conducted at three temperatures using low dose rates. Predominant products from both plastics were hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and various organic species, with the addition of hydrochloric acid from PVC. In all experiments, the total pressure decreased. Irradiation at 30 and 60 C and at various dose rates caused small changes for both plastics, but at 100 C coupled thermal-radiolytic effects included discoloration of the material as well as large differences in the gas phase composition

No abstract available

[en] Epidemiologic surveillance at DOE facilities consists of regular and systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on absences due to illness and injury in the work force. Its purpose is to provide an early warning system for health problems occurring among employees at participating sites. Data are collected by coordinators at each site and submitted to the Epidemiologic Surveillance Data Center, located at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, where quality control procedures and analyses are carried out. Rates of absences and rates of diagnoses associated with absences are analyzed by occupation and other relevant variables. They may be compared with the disease experience of different groups within the DOE work force and with populations that do not work for DOE to identify disease patterns or clusters that may be associated with work activities. This amended annual report corrects errors in the initial release of the BNL report for 1994. In this annual report, the 1994 morbidity data for BNL are summarized

[en] The 1997 edition of the ''Financial Statistics of Major U.S. Publicly Owned Electric Utilities'' publication presents 5 years (1993 through 1997) of summary financial data and current year detailed financial data on the major publicly owned electric utilities. The objective of the publication is to provide Federal and State governments, industry, and the general public with current and historical data that can be used for policymaking and decisionmaking purposes related to publicly owned electric utility issues. Generator (Tables 3 through 11) and nongenerator (Tables 12 through 20) summaries are presented in this publication. Five years of summary financial data are provided (Tables 5 through 11 and 14 through 20). Summaries of generators for fiscal years ending June 30 and December 31, nongenerators for fiscal years ending June 30 and December 31, and summaries of all respondents are provided in Appendix C. The composite tables present aggregates of income statement and balance sheet data, as well as financial indicators. Composite tables also display electric operation and maintenance expenses, electric utility plant, number of consumers, sales of electricity, operating revenue, and electric energy account data. The primary source of publicly owned financial data is the Form EIA-412, ''Annual Report of Public Electric Utilities.'' Public electric utilities file this survey on a fiscal year basis, in conformance with their recordkeeping practices. The EIA undertook a review of the Form EIA-412 submissions to determine if alternative classifications of publicly owned electric utilities would permit the inclusion of all respondents. The review indicated that financial indicators differ most according to whether or not a publicly owned electric utility generates electricity. Therefore, the main body of the report provides summary information in generator/nongenerator classifications. 2 figs., 101 tabs

[en] The authors calculate the rates and lepton (ell) invariant mass distributions for decays of the form 0^-+ → ell ⁺ell ^-γ, which are important radiative corrections to the purely leptonic decays 0^-+ → ell ⁺ell ^-. The approach uses the loop diagrams which arise by including the two photon intermediate state and they retain the imaginary parts of the loops--a radiative extension of the unitarity bound for the process. These results are compared with those obtained using a model in which the meson couples directly to the leptons

[en] The Nevada Test Site (NTS) presently serves as a disposal site for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generated by DOE-approved generators. The environmental impacts resulting from the disposal of LLW at the NTS are discussed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Nevada Test Site Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada (NTS EIS). During the formal NTS EIS scoping period, it became clear that transportation of LLW was an issue that required attention. Therefore, the Nevada Transportation Protocol Working Group (TPWG) was formed in 1995 to identify, prioritize, and understand local issues and concerns associated with the transportation of LLW to the NTS. Currently, generators of LLW ship their waste to the NTS by legal-weight truck. In 1995, the TPWG suggested the DOE could reduce transportation costs and enhance public safety by using rail transportation. The DOE announced, in October 1996, that they would study the potential for intermodal transportation of LLW to the NTS, by transferring the LLW containers from rail cars to trucks for movements to the NTS. The TPWG and DOE/NV prepared the NTS Intermodal Transportation Facility Site and Routing Evaluation Study to present basic data and analyses on alternative rail-to-truck transfer sites and related truck routes for LLW shipments to the NTS. This Environmental Assessment (EA) identifies the potential environmental impacts and transportation risks of using new intermodal transfer sites and truck routes or continuing current operations to accomplish the objectives of minimizing radiological risk, enhancing safety, and reducing cost. DOE/NV will use the results of the assessment to decide whether or not to encourage the LLW generators and their transportation contractors to change their current operations to accomplish these objectives

[en] This Closure Report summarizes the corrective actions which were completed at the Corrective Action Sites within Corrective Action Unit 349 Area 12 at the Nevada Test Site. Current site descriptions, observations and identification of wastes removed are included on FFACO Corrective Action Site housekeeping closure verification forms

[en] Monitoring and surveillance, on and around the Nevada Test Site, (NTS) by US Department of Energy (DOE) contractors and NTS user organizations during 1997, indicated that operations on the NTS were conducted in compliance with applicable DOE, state, and federal regulations and guidelines. All discharges of radioactive liquids remained onsite in containment ponds, and there was no indication of potential migration of radioactivity to the offsite area through groundwater. Surveillance around the NTS indicated that airborne radioactivity from diffusion, evaporation of liquid effluents, or resuspension of soil was not detectable offsite, and exposure above existing background to members of the offsite population was not measured by the offsite monitoring program. Using the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Clean Air Package 1988 (CAP88)-PC model and NTS radionuclide emissions and environmental monitoring data, the calculated effective dose equivalent (EDE) to the maximally exposed individual offsite would have been 0.089 mrem. Hazardous wastes were shipped offsite to approved disposal facilities