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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT


Historical Document

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Y-12 Uranium Releases

OAK RIDGE RESERVATION (USDOE)
OAK RIDGE, ANDERSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
EPA FACILITY ID: TN1890090003 Exiting ATSDR Website

January 30, 2004

Prepared by:

Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY

BACKGROUND

EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND POTENTIAL EXPOSURE PATHWAYS

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

HEALTH OUTCOME DATA EVALUATION

COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS

CHILDREN'S HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION PLAN

PREPARERS OF REPORT

REFERENCES

APPENDICES


LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Population of Oak Ridge from 1942 to 2000

Table 2. Comparison Values for Uranium

Table 3. ATSDR's Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for Uranium

Table 4. Total Past Uranium Radiation Dose to the Scarboro Community

Table 5. Annual Airborne Uranium Release Estimates for Y-12 Plant (1944-1995)

Table 6. Task 6 Estimated Average Annual Air Radioactivity Concentrations in Scarboro from Y-12 Uranium Releases (1944-1995)

Table 7. Air Pathways Considered by the Task 6 Team

Table 8. Average Annual Uranium Concentrations in East Fork Poplar Creek Surface Water (1944-1995)

Table 9. Surface Water Pathways Considered by the Task 6 Team

Table 10. Soil Pathways Considered by the Task 6 Team

Table 11. Comparison of Average Uranium Radioactivity Concentrations-EFPC Floodplain Soil vs. Scarboro Soil

Table 12. Estimated Average Annual Air Concentrations of Uranium in Scarboro

Table 13. Estimated Average Annual Doses from Ingestion of Uranium via the Soil and Surface Water Pathways (1944-1995)

Table 14. Current Uranium Radiation Dose to the Scarboro Community

Table 15. Estimated Current Total Radiation Doses from Inhalation of Uranium

Table 16. Total Uranium Concentrations in EFPC and Bear Creek

Table 17. Comparison of the Ratios of Isotopic Activities for Uranium-Scarboro Soil to Naturally Occurring Uranium

Table 18. Comparison of the Average Uranium Isotopic Ratios in Scarboro Soil, EFPC Floodplain Soil, and Natural Uranium

Table 19. Uranium Radiation Doses Following Soil Ingestion by a 1-year old Scarboro Resident at Each Sample Location

Table 20. Food Ingestion Rates for the Southern United States

Table 21. Radiation Doses from Uranium Following Ingestion of Private Garden Vegetables Grown in Scarboro

Table 22. Radiation Doses from Uranium Following Ingestion of Garden Vegetables Grown On and Off the Oak Ridge Reservation

Table 23. Uranium Doses from Ingestion of Scarboro Soil

Table 24. Total Uranium Dose Following Ingestion of Vegetables Grown On and Off the Oak Ridge Reservation

Table 25. Summary of Public Health Implications from ATSDR's Evaluation of Past and Current Uranium Exposure to Off-Site Populations


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Location of Oak Ridge Reservation

Figure 2. Y-12 Facility Time Line

Figure 3. Demographics within 1 and 3 miles of the Y-12 Plant

Figure 4. Organizational Structure for the Oak Ridge Reservation Health Effects Subcommittee

Figure 5. Process Flow Sheet for Providing Input into the Public Health Assessment

Figure 6. FAMU and EPA Sample Locations in Scarboro

Figure 7. ATSDR Chemical Screening Process

Figure 8. Comparison of Uranium Chemical Doses (Ingestion)

Figure 9. Comparison of Uranium Chemical Doses (Inhalation)

Figure 10. ATSDR Health-Based Determination of Radiological Doses

Figure 11. Exposure Pathways Evaluated

Figure 12. Comparison of Radiation Doses

Figure 13. Annual Airborne Uranium Release Estimates for the Y-12 Plant

Figure 14. Task 6 Estimated Average Annual Air Radioactivity Concentrations in Scarboro from Y-12 Uranium Releases

Figure 15. Comparison of the Average U 234/235 Air Radioactivity Concentrations in Scarboro-Measured vs. Estimated

Figure 16. Comparison of the Average U 238 Air Radioactivity Concentrations in Scarboro -Measured vs. Estimated

Figure 17. Average Annual Uranium Concentrations in EFPC Surface Water

Figure 18. Comparison of the Average Uranium Radioactivity Concentrations-EFPC Floodplain Soil vs. Scarboro Soil

Figure 19. Estimated Average Annual Air Concentrations of Total Uranium in Scarboro

Figure 20. Estimated Average Annual Doses of Uranium via the Soil and Surface Water Pathways

Figure 21. Comparison of Uranium Concentrations-EFPC Floodplain Soil vs. Scarboro Soil

Figure 22. Locations of Air Monitoring Stations

Figure 23. Locations of Surface Water Samples

Figure 24. Comparison of Uranium Isotopic Concentrations in Natural Uranium, 10 EPA Scarboro Soil Samples, and Average FAMU Scarboro Soil Samples

Figure 25. Comparison of the Average Uranium Isotopic Concentrations in Natural Uranium, EPA and FAMU Scarboro Soil Samples, and Background Soil Samples

Figure 26. Locations Where Vegetable Samples Were Grown On and Off the Oak Ridge Reservation

Figure 27. Average Uranium Air Concentrations Compared to the MRL

Figure 28. Uranium Dose Following Ingestion of Soil

Figure 29. Total Uranium Following Ingestion of Vegetables Grown On and Off the Oak Ridge Reservation


LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A. ATSDR Glossary of Environmental Health Terms

Appendix B. Summary of Other Public Health Activities

Appendix C. Toxicologic Implications of Uranium Exposure

Appendix D. ATSDR's Derivation of the Radiogenic Cancer Comparison Value

Appendix E. Measured vs. Estimated Average Annual Uranium Air Radioactivity Concentrations at ORR Air Monitoring Station 46 in Scarboro

Appendix F. A Conservative Approach in Radiation Dose Assessment

Appendix G. Summary of Technical Review Comments

Appendix H. Responses to Public Comments

Appendix I. Summary Briefs

Appendix J. A Citizen's Guide to Risk Assessments and Public Health Assessments at Contaminated Sites


ACRONYMS

ACAP Atomic City Auto Parts
ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
AOEC Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics
ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
BW body weight
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CEDE committed effective dose equivalent
CEDR Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Co 60 cobalt 60
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CR concentration ratio
Cs 137 cesium 137
CSF cancer slope factor
CT computed tomography
DHHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
EFPC East Fork Poplar Creek
EMEG environmental media evaluation guide
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FACA Federal Advisory Committee Act
FAMU Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
fCi/m3 femtocuries per cubic meter
GAO General Accounting Office
g/kg/day grams per kilogram per day
ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection
IR ingestion rate
kg kilogram
LET Linear Energy Transfer
LNT linear nonthreshold
LOAEL lowest-observed-adverse-effect level
m3/day cubic meters per day
MCL maximum contaminant level
µg/kg micrograms per kilogram
µg/L micrograms per liter
µg/m3 micrograms per cubic meter
mrem millirem
mrem/year millirems per year
mg/day milligrams per day
mg/kg milligrams per kilogram
mg/kg/day milligrams per kilogram per day
mg/m3 milligrams per cubic meter
MRL minimal risk level
MS multiple sclerosis
NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
NCEH National Center for Environmental Health
NCRP National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NOAEL no-observed-adverse-effect level
NPL National Priorities List
OREIS Oak Ridge Environmental Information System
ORHASP Oak Ridge Health Agreement Steering Panel
ORO Oak Ridge Operations
ORR Oak Ridge Reservation
ORRHES Oak Ridge Reservation Health Effects Subcommittee
PCB polychlorinated biphenyl
pCi/g picocuries per gram
PDF probability distribution function
PHA Public health assessment
PHAWG Public Health Assessment Work Group
ppb parts per billion
ppm parts per million
PRG preliminary remediation goal
RBC risk-based concentration
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
RfD reference dose
RI/FS Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study
ROD Record of Decision
SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act
SMR standardized mortality ratio
Sr 90 strontium 90
SSAB Site-Specific Advisory Board
Sv sievert
TDEC Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
TDOH Tennessee Department of Health
TEDE term total effective dose
TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act
U uranium
UNSCEAR United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
c chi

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