Country of Publication: United States Abstract: Kodak LR-115 Type II cellulose nitrate alpha track detection film was evaluated for its utility in environmental plutonium studies. It was found that with fast and simple etching and reading techniques, the film detects 60 to 90% of the incident alpha particles with energy less than 4 MeV; both precision and efficiency may be increased by’ careful control of procedures. When applied to previously analyzed soil samples from Eniwetok Atoll, it was found that ball-milled and gross soil samples were both highly heterogeneous in Pu distribution, with most activity concentrated in discrete particles of various types and sizes. For a one-day exposure to soil or a similar solid surface, detection sensitivity (5 x background) is approximately 50 pCi/g of total alpha activity and increases linearly with increased exposure time. Track detection films of this type provide a rapid and inexpensive means of obtaining quantitative estimates of environmental sample activity, and have unique utility for methods evaluation and the investigation of activity distribution as a function of phase, particle size, or organ in a heterogeneous sample.; Major Descriptors: *PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DETECTORS -- EVALUATION; *PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS -- PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DETECTORS Descriptors: EXPERIMENTAL DATA; ISOLATED VALUES Broader Terms: ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; DATA; DATA FORMS; INFORMATION; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; NUMERICAL DATA; RADIATION DETECTORS; TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS — Subject Categories: 510301* -- Environment, Terrestrial -- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport -- Soil -- (-1987) 440101 -- Radiation Instrumentation -Radiometric Instruments General Detectors or Monitors & INIS Subject Categories: B31* -- Land E41 -- Particle & Radiation Detection & Measuring Instruments & Methods 10/5/913 (Item 613 from file: 103) 00606482 ERA-05-016564; INS-80-005839; EDB-80-046005 Title: Quantitative aspects of transuranic field studies Author(s): Gilbert, R.O.; Simpson, J.C.; Vaughan, B.E. Title: Pacific Northwest Laboratory annual report for 1979 to the DOE Assistant Secretary for Environment. Part 2. Ecological sciences Corporate Source: Publication Date: Report Number(s): Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Feb 1980 p 63 Richland, WA (USA) PNL-3300(Pt.2) Document Type: Analytic of a Report Language: English Journal Announcement: EDB8004 Availability: Dep. NTIS, PC All/MF A0Ol. Subfile: INS (US Atomindex input); ERA (Energy Research Abstracts); TIC (Technical Information Center). Country of Origin: United States w evaluating estimators of ratios, particularly concentration and isotopic ratios. Other activities included membership on the North 9004032 Country of Publication: United States Abstract: Investigation into the development and use of appropriate statistical design and analysis procedures in environmental actinide field studies is continuing. Significant accomplishments of FY 1979 were continued publication of TRAN-STAT, a periodical on Environmental Transuranic Studies, and initiation of a computer simulation study Marshall Islands Advisory Group, chairmanship of the Statistics and Modeling Panel at the Office of Health and Environmental Research’s Actinide Workshop at Arlie House, Virginia, and improving our expertise and capacity to perform Kriging, a technique for estimating spatial patterns of contaminants. Related activities under separate funding included statistical design and analysis for the Nevada Applied Ecology Group and that in connection with decommissioning and decontamination of nuclear facilities.; Major Descriptors: *ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS -- ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; *ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT -- STATISTICS