The maximum plutonium-239 concentration was only 0.002% of the maximum
permissible airborne concentration (MPC-168hr)

(ICRP, 1959).

for an uncontrolled area

The maximum americium-241 concentration was only 0.0057

of the MPC-1l68hr. For a controlled area, the maximum concentrations
were only 0.0002% and 0.002% of the MPC-40hr for plutonium-239 and
americium-241, respectively.
Concentrations in uCi/g Airborne Soil

Plutonium-239 and americium—-241 concentrations per gram airborne solids
were determined for both "small" and "large" particles. Airborne concentrations in uCi/g are shown in Fig. 3 for plutonium-239.
The uCi/g for
small particles decreased with increasing height up to 91m.
This

decrease might be explained by sampling both "more contaminated" locally
resuspended particles as well as "less contaminated" soil blowing in

from a greater upwind distance.
In contrast, for large particles, the
maximum uCi/g occurred for a sampling height of 30 to 60 m.

This "large"-particle plume concentration profile in yCi/g might be

explained by assuming two possible sources of airborne particles were
sampled.
For one source possibility, contaminated large particles might
be resuspending at a distance upwind and the airborne plume he depleted
by dry deposition between the resuspension and sampling site.
For the
second source possibility, many "less contaminated" particles are resuspended near the sampling tower and are sampled.
This less contaminated
airborne soil being simultaneously sampled with soil from upwind would
decrease the uCi/e.
Relationship:
Plutonium-239 on Large Particles and Americium-241 on
Small Particles
Airborne concentration profiles in uCi/g are shown in Fig. 4 for ameri-

cium-241 collected on both "small" and "large" particles. Only two data
points are shown for americium-24]1 transported on large particles. The
maximum observed americium-241 concentration on "large" particles was
8 x 1077 uCi/g at the lowest sampling height of 1.9 m.

At the highest

sampling height of 122 m, the americium-241 concentration on "large"
particles had decreased over one order of magnitude to 2 x 1078 yuCi/g.

At intermediate sampling heights of 15 to 91 m, americium-241 concentrations were not significantly different from zero due to the radiochemical
counting statistic uncertainties.

The americium-241 wCi/g on "small" particles was minimum and constant at
1.9- and 15-m sampling heights.
For greater heights, a maximum of 4 x
1076 uCi/g was determined at a sampling height of 91m.
A possible

explanation for this americium-241 on "small" particles is that resus-

pension occurs at a distance upwind and the airborne plume is depleted
by particle dry deposition between the resuspension and sampling site.
Also, many less-contaminated americium-241 small particles might be
resuspended near the sampling tower and be collected in the sample.

These less contaminated "small" particles would be simultaneously sampled

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