1. Radiochemistry Applications Supporting Public Health
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Laboratory
07/26/05

2. Radiochemistry Applications Supporting Public Health
Presenters:
Jeffrey Brenner
John Lorenz
Public Health Lab
MN Dept of Health

3. Radiochemistry Applications Supporting Public Health
History of MDH and the Public Health Lab
Programs
Methods
Emergency response

4. Minnesota Department of Health History
Established in 1872
Third state health department in the United States
Minnesota Public Health Laboratory formally established in 1897
Radiation Laboratory began operation in early 1960’s

5. Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory
Originally, affiliated with the University of Minnesota
Since 1960’s, affiliated with the Minnesota Dept of Health (state agency) x x

6. Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory
Clinical Lab:
Disease prevention, control and surveillance
Environmental Lab:
Identify and monitor environmental threats to human health
130 employees

7. History
Radiation Unit’s original purpose was to monitor radionuclide levels around the Elk River nuclear power plant
First rural nuclear power plant in the United States
Went on line in 1963
Decommissioned and converted back to coal and oil in 1968

8. Analyses by the Radiation Unit
Our goal is to monitor potential threats and ensure compliance with environmental regulations;
Quality assurance is paramount;
Research is not a major focus.

9. Radiation Unit Staff 1 Supervisor
1 Radiological Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
3 Full time Scientists
3 Additional Scientists with radiation experience
1 Health & Safety / Radiation Safety Officer

10. Radiation Laboratory Analysis50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Jan
03'
Apr
Jul
Oct
04'
Total Samples
Drinking Water
Program

11. Public Health Laboratory: Operations
1. environmental monitoring outside nuclear reactor sites
2. safe drinking water; monitor public water supplies
3. radiological emergency response

12. Current Operations
Currently the Lab’s Radiation Unit monitors two nuclear power plants
Prairie Island near Red Wing
Monticello near Monticello
Facilities are monitored to establish background levels of Radionuclide and detect any release

13. Sample Collection per Facility
River water samples
Upstream 1/month until freeze over
Downstream 1/month
River sediment 1/yr
Milk from local dairy farm 1/month
Cattle feed 1/month
Hay and grasses 1/month during growing season
Apples 1/month during growing season
Air filter samples 2/month
One residential well sample 1/month

14. Matrix Methods Performed
River water samples are analyzed for:
Tritium
89Sr and 90Sr
Gamma Scan
40 Radionuclides
Vegetation, Apples, and Cattle Feed

15. Matrix Methods Performed Continued
Milk
89Sr and 90Sr
Gamma Scan
40 Radionuclides
Soil, Sediment, and Air Filters

16. Methods of Analysis Gamma Analysis Based on EPA Method 901.1
Instrumentation
4 Ortec HPGe gamma spectroscopy systems monitoring 40 radionuclides
250 Samples per year (average)

17. Gamma Analysis (Water Sample 4 Liter)
MDC MDC
NUCLIDE pCi/L NUCLIDE pCi/L
=========================== ========================
AM-241 < E KR < E+00
BA < E MN < E+00
BA < E NB < E+00
BE < E+01 PB < E+02
BI < E PB < E+00
BI < E PB < E+00
CE < E+00 RA < E+01
CE < E RA < E+01
CO < E RU < E+00
CO < E+00 RU/RH106 < E+01
CO-60 < E SR < E+01
CR < E TE < E+00
CS < E TH < E+02
CS-137 < E TH < E+02
FE < E TL < E+00
I < E XE < E+00
I < E+00 XE < E+00
I < E+00 ZN < E+00
I < E+00 ZR < E+00
I < E+00 K < E+01

18. Methods of Analysis Tritium Instrumentation
Analysis based on EPA Method 906
Instrumentation
Packard TRICARB-2750 Liquid scintillation counter
MDH Laboratory MDC <200 pCi/L
Drinking Water MCL 20,000 pCi/L
Drinking Water required activity 1,000 pCi/L
46 river water samples per year (average)

19. Methods of Analysis Gross Alpha/Beta (gas proportional counters)
Analysis based on EPA 900.0
Instrumentation
Canberra LB4 16 detectors
Canberra S5XLB w/ Gamma 1 detector
Canberra LB detectors
MDH Laboratory MDC
Gross Alpha 3 pCi/L
Gross Beta 4 pCi/L
Drinking Water MCL 15 pCi/L
46 River water samples per year (average)
110 Air samples per year (average)

20. Methods of Analysis 89Sr and 90Sr Instrumentation
Analysis based on EPA Method 905.0
Instrumentation
Canberra LB4000 Alpha/Beta gas proportional counter
MDH Laboratory MDC <2.0 pCi/L
Drinking Water MCL
89Sr 80 pCi/L
90Sr 8 pCi/L
Drinking Water required activity
89Sr 10 pCi/L
90Sr 2 pCi/L
Milk 25 samples per year (average)
River water 46 samples per year (average)

21. Public Health Laboratory: Operations
1. environmental monitoring outside nuclear reactor sites
2. safe drinking water; monitor public water supplies
3. radiological emergency response

22. Operations: Conform to the US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that public water supplies are monitored for hundreds of toxic chemicals
nutrients, pesticides, metals,
volatile organic compounds,
radioactive chemicals, etc.

23. Drinking Water Monitoring
Current monitoring
Approximately 1,000 community water systems
Approximately 8,000 noncommunity water systems
Analysis performed
Radon
Gross Alpha/Beta
226Ra and 228Ra
Uranium

24. Methods of Analysis Radon Analysis based on Standard Method 7500-RN
Instrumentation
Packard TRICARB-2770 Liquid scintillation counter
MDH Laboratory MDC <10 pCi/L
No established MCL for drinking water
1,200 samples per year (average)

25. Methods of Analysis Gross Alpha/Beta Instrumentation
Analysis based on EPA 900.0
Instrumentation
Canberra LB4 16 detectors
Canberra S5XLB w/ Gamma 1 detector
Canberra LB detectors
MDH Minimal Activity
Gross Alpha 3 pCi/L
Gross Beta 4 pCi/L
Drinking Water MCL 15 pCi/L
400 samples per year (average)

26. Methods of Analysis Uranium Instrumentation MDH Laboratory MDC
Analysis based on EPA 200.8
Instrumentation
Hewlett Packard 4500 ICP-MS
MDH Laboratory MDC
Uranium 0.67 pCi/L or 1.0 ug/L
Uranium required
Gross Alpha >15 pCi/L
100 samples per year (average)

27. Methods of Analysis 226Ra and 228Ra Instrumentation MDH Laboratory MDC
Analysis based on EPA and 904
Instrumentation
Canberra LB4 16 detectors
Canberra S5XLB w/ Gamma 1 detector
Canberra LB detectors
MDH Laboratory MDC
226Ra 1 pCi/L
228Ra 1 pCi/L
Drinking Water MCL Combined 5 pCi/L
400 samples per year (average)

28. New MDA/MDH Lab Building
Address 601 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN
176,500 gross square feet
Occupancy October 2005

29. Public Health Laboratory: Operations
1. environmental monitoring outside nuclear reactor sites
2. safe drinking water; monitor public water supplies
3. radiological emergency response

30. Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response (REP)
at the
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Laboratory

31. Expectations for Emergency Analysis
Speed and throughput are key
Potentially higher contamination levels
Rapid decisions may be necessary

32. Expectations for Emergency Analysis
Detectable levels may be higher than routine environmental samples
131I SDWA pCi/L
131I REP Plan pCi/L
Shorter exposure periods (60d vs. lifetime)
Based on conservative assumptions

33. Expectations for Emergency Analysis
Unknowns may require more than radiological analysis
Biological
Chemical
Metals

34. Expectations for Emergency Analysis
Results may have enormous health, psychological, sociological, and economic consequences
Return of evacuees
Agriculture, Tourism, Hunting, and Fishing

35. Laboratory Role Lab not primary responder or decision-maker
Lab supports primary response agency
Minnesota Radiation Control Unit (MDH)
Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (MDPS)

36. Responsibilities Support decision making for protective actions Early
Evacuation and sheltering
Identify and quantify radioactive plumes
Later
Protection of food, water, and animal feed supplies
Identify and quantify deposited radioactivity

37. Lab Resources 22 Trained responders Analytical Equipment
4 HPGe gamma spectroscopy
3 Alpha/beta counters
2 Liquid scintillation counters
Analysis normally done by members of Radiation Unit

38. Lab Resources Gross survey and monitoring equipment
3 G-M counters
3 Ionization chambers
2 Alarming area monitors
Receipt, initial surveys and log in done by people from other units

39. Additional Lab Capacity
Federal laboratories
RAP (Radiological Assistance Program) – DOE Chicago
FRMAC (Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center) – DOE Las Vegas, with full federal involvement from EPA, FDA, USDA, NRC and others
Laboratories in other states

40. Facilities Presently in the laboratory basement parking garage
Storage and analysis rooms adjacent to parking area.
New laboratory building
Receipt on loading dock
Storage and analysis rooms on first floor of building

41. Radiological Emergency Response Plan
Lab’s plan integrates with statewide Radiological Emergency Preparedness Plan.
Originated in 1980 to respond to nuclear power plant incidents.
Expanded to include other radiological emergencies.

42. Types of Emergencies Nuclear Power Plant Transportation Industrial
Terrorism
Radiological dispersal devices
Nuclear weapons
Miscellaneous unknowns

43. Nuclear Plant Locations

44. Nuclear Power Plants
Prairie Island SE of Minneapolis near Red Wing on Mississippi River
Pressurized
water reactors
2 Units
1076 MW Total

45. Nuclear Power Plants
Monticello - NW of Minneapolis on Mississippi River
Boiling water reactor
1 Unit
553 MW

46. Nuclear Power Plants Fixed facilities Predictable constituents
Initially gamma spectroscopy
Xe-133
Pu-239
Ru-103
Ru-106
Sr-90
Cs-134
Cs-137
I-131

47. Nuclear Power Plants Early Phase Plume analysis Particulate filters
Iodine cartridges
Gamma scan for all 40 nuclides normally included in routine environmental testing

48. Nuclear Power Plants Later phases Milk Animal feeds – pasture, hay
Foods – Grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat
Water – surface and drinking
Surface smears

49. Nuclear Power Plants Later phases Focus on critical nuclides
20 - minute counts
Nuclide MDC (pCi/kg)
131I 2,300
134Cs 8,000
137Cs 8,000
103Ru ,000
106Ru 5,000
Expanded testing on some samples to determine whether other nuclides may be important

50. Transportation and Industrial
Most likely type of incident
Accident transporting medical isotopes
Caterpillar tractor backs over gauge
Fire in radionuclide facility
Radionuclides likely
to be known
Analysis methods
chosen according to
expected nuclides

51. Radiological Dispersal Device
Attempted detonations so far unsuccessful
1995 Ismailovsky Park
1998 Argun
1999 Grozny
Shamil Basayev &
Jose Padilla

52. Radiological Dispersal Device
Non-exhaustive list of radionuclides that may be used
137Cs
241Am
192Ir
226Ra

53. Radiological Dispersal Device
We may not know immediately that radioactive material is present
Identity of radioactive material may be unknown – alpha, beta, or gamma emitter
Lab will identify and quantify radioactive material

54. Nuclear Weapon Will the lab still be here?
Alpha and beta as well as gamma
Identification and quantification

55. Miscellaneous Unknowns
Abandoned sources
Accidentally contaminated consumer products
Table legs
Reinforcing bars
Metal fencing
Gold Jewelry
Materials found by customs
Lab identifies and quantifies radioactive material

56. April Customs Incident
Confused traveler from China left box containing powders at airport
Customs found radiation readings
Notified Nuclear Regulatory Commission

57. April 2005 Customs Incident, continued.
4. State Radiation Control responded
5. Lab was called to analyze sample
6. Radiological and metals analysis showed zirconium silicate
7. < 6 hours elapsed from arrival time at customs to ed lab report.

58. Conclusion
For routine analysis, quality assurance is rigorous; data reports comply with regulatory standards.
Lower backgrounds would allow
Lower costs for clients’
Faster turnaround times
May allow more efficient methodology long term

59. Contact Information
Jeff Brenner
Metals and Radiation Unit Supervisor
John Lorenz
Radiological Emerg. Response Coordinator