Wallace and Romney discussed the need to retain certain of the NAEG
safety-shot intensive study sites for further ecological investigations
not yet addressed by the NAEG.
Their contributions through the years of .
NAEG research have been thorough and excellent.
Their suggestions
concerning questions yet unanswered and mechanisms not investigated are
very timely.
NAEG research funding has recently been reduced, and it is
important that such information be recorded for future use.
Many of the
suggested projects are concerned with cleanup or decontamination of the
safety shot study areas.
Factors in ionic diffusion from soil to plant roots was one of several
aspects of an approach to studying radionuclide uptake by plants at NTS
reported by Baker, Pillay, Rose, and Ciolkosz of Penn State.
They have
begun an investigation into soil mineralogy and soil chemistry experimentation which may be required for management systems to minimize the
movement of transuranics in the environment to man.
Rhoads, EG&G, Goleta, presented an interesting discussion of supportive
evidence for probable radiation damage to both annual and perennial
vegetation from the Sedan cratering event of 1962.
In his report, he
examines data from Baneberry, Small Boy, and Sedan in light of extensive
recent investigations into Baneberry fallout radiation effects at NTS,
reported in NAEG publications.
Uncontaminated soil profiles from Area 18, NTS, were established as
microcosms in environmental chambers at Battelle's Columbus Laboratory.
Ausmus and Dodson reported the use of CO. efflux as the parameter monitored to establish parameter behavior in the soils from the various
sites.
CdClz was administered to the soils in order to measure the
effects of stress on such a desert ecosystem.
Follow-on investigations
will explore the effects of certain transuranics on ecosystem processes
and feasibility of decontamination or stabilization techniques to be
tested in the laboratory prior to field trials.
Essington, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, reported on the status of
LASL participation in NAEG soil studies.
His outstanding paper in this
document includes a survey of soils studies conducted by LASL for the
NAEG, current data evaluation concerning vertical movement of transuranics in desert soil profiles, and discussion of distribution of
uranium in blow-sand mounds in NAEG safety-shot sites.
Recommendations
for further studies concerning redistribution of radionuclides at NTS
are also offered by Essington.
A summary report on NAEG plutonium-soil association research in the
safety-shot areas of NTS was given by Tamura, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
In addition, he discussed initiation of cleanup trials at NTS
while the studies in nuclear event areas are progressing.
His consideration of soil-related problems in clean-up trials included possible soil
activity levels above which cleanup should be planned and how the levels
would perhaps be defined as lower limits.
Other considerations mentioned
were hot particles, gravel cover (protective blanket), stabilization of
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