ADDENDUM TO TECH NOTE 2.2: DETERMINATION OF THE PLUTONIUM TO
AMERICIUM RATIO IN SOIL SAMPLES FROM ISLAND VERA
DOE/ERSP TECH NOTE NO. 2.2-A

DATED: 9 February 1978

AUTHOR: J. Giacomini, DRI

To determine a ratio for total transuranies (TRU) to 241Am certain assumptions were made. One

assumption is that the true ratio is constant at each value of 24l4m and that a plot of TRU
against 2414m is a straight line through the origin. The second assumption states that the
variance. of TRU increases proportionally to 2414m as 24lam increases. Both of these
assumptions are met by the data from this island. Reference "Ratio Estimation Techniques in the
Analysis of Environmental Transuranic Data" by Pamela Doctor and Richard Gilbert.

Data collected at four sample locations (two composites) were used in computing the mean ratio and
associated error,
The Vera data has a mean ratio of 2.51 with a standard deviation of 0.22;* these values were used in
estimating TRU and upper bounds.

"A" Sample

"B" Sample

Location

TRU

241.4m

TRU

241am

2-W-2
4-B-0
5-E-2
7-B-0

10.23
9.31
13.21
12.68

3.31
3.41
5.04
4.87

16.96
5.7
11.43
11.3

7.49
2.46
4.90
4.62

DETERMINATION OF THE TOTAL TRANSURANICS TO AMERICIUM
RATIO IN SOIL SAMPLES FROM ISLAND OLIVE
DOE/ERSP TECH NOTENO. 2.3

DATED: 17 January 1978

AUTHOR: M. Barnes, DRI

Determination of one mean ratio for Olive was made including 238, 239, 240py and 241Am,

Laboratory results of 22 samples taken at four locations were used to compute a mean ratio. Ratios
for 0, 10, and 20em were from the same population, so all depths were included when computing the
mean. The rangein values is from 2.01 to 3.72.
The simple mean** is 2.74 and the standard deviation 0.46; these values were used to derive total
transuranics estimates and upper bounds.
Location No.

18-S-2
10-S-2
8-N-6
2-N-2

Depth, em

0

2.97
3.48
2.70
2.31

10

2.96
2.61
2.97
2.72

2.49
2.40
3.45
2.01

_ 20

2.88
2.59
3.19
2.01

2.17
_
2.47
2.55

2.59
_
3.07
3.72

*Due to a programming error, the standard deviation reported here is overestimated.
**This method of estimating the ratio and error was later replaced by a method based on more

accurate assumptions as described in Tech Note 2.2-A.

B-2-12

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