Upcoming Events and Recent Monthly Activities
Recent Activities, 2001
October 1 - December 31, 2001
Proposals for New Projects
R. Arimoto submitted a proposal (with W.W. Li, University of Texas-El Paso) to the Southwest Center of Environmental Research and Policy. The proposal is entitled: "Investigations of the Low-Wind Particulate Matter Spikes at the NMED Sunland Park City Yard Monitoring Site."
Actinide Chemistry and Repository Science Program
As part of scientific partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Center staff developed and documented procedures for the preparation of NaCl, MgCl2, ERDA-6 and GWB brine solutions. Procedures for the separation and detection of plutonium in brine solutions have been developed using liquid scintillation and alpha spectrometry techniques. A series of HOCl/OCl- spectra have been collected using UV/VIS spectrophotometry in five different media (water, NaCl, MgCl2, ERDA-6 and GWB) to investigate the effect of pH on spectral shape in each of the various media. In addition, Center staff has been trained on the operation of the unsaturated flow apparatus.
Conference on Environmental Monitoring
At the request of the CBFO, CEMRC organized a conference on WIPP related environmental monitoring and research. The participants included staff from DOE/CBFO, CEMRC , Westinghouse Tru Solutions, EEG, LANL, and Sandia Laboratories. The objective of the conference was to (a) provide a forum for discussing each laboratory's monitoring and research programs, (b) identify potential redundancy in coverage, and (c) provide recommendations for coordination activities. The principal product of the conference is to be a summary of the various environmental monitoring programs serving the WIPP needs that will identify closely related or redundant programs that could be merged, and potential gaps in the overall program that may require attention. This summary report is being coordinated by Joel Webb (CEMRC) and will be completed for the CBFO in early 2002.
47th Radiochemical Measurements Conference
B. Stewart attended the 47th Radiochemical Measurements Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. This conference continues to be the premier forum for disseminating timely and ongoing work in the field of radiochemistry. He presented two papers. The first (authored by
R. Arimoto, M. Conley, J. Webb, T. Kirchner, B. Stewart, D. Schoep, and M. Walthall) was entitled " 239,240Pu in inorganic substances in aerosols from the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: The Importance of Resuspension." This paper was also submitted and accepted for publication in Health Physics Journal. The second presentation (authored by B. Stewart and C. Schloesslin) was entitled "How Rigorous is Rare Earth Fluoride Micro-coprecipitation?"
July 1 - September 30, 2001
Laboratory Certifications and Licensing
The environmental chemistry laboratory received official accreditation on 26 July 2001 from the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for competence in Environmental Testing under the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. In anticipation of increased research efforts in the areas of actinide chemistry and repository science, CEMRC 's site possession limit for radioactive materials was increased to 2 curies. The use and possession of radioactive materials at CEMRC is licensed and regulated by the New Mexico Environment Department, Community Service Bureau, Radiation Protection Program.
New Projects
Funding was received for the Yucca Mountain Irrigation Model project. The goal of the project is to evaluate the importance of irrigation water contaminated by the Yucca Mountain waste repository as a source of potential exposure to people. The project involves collaborators from CEMRC (T. Kirchner and M. Walthall), Los Alamos National Laboratory, the University of New Mexico, and Colorado State University. R. Arimoto and J. Webb received a contract for Analytical Services for the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. This is a broad-scope contract for the analysis of tissues and other types of samples provided by the sponsor. Analyses will be performed by the environmental chemistry group, primarily using the inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer.
Proposals for New Projects
R. Arimoto submitted a proposal (with W. Balsam, University of Texas, Arlington) to the National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, Chemical Oceanography. The proposal is entitled: "Collaborative research on iron-oxide minerals in Asia dust: Atmospheric connections between source regions and the North Pacific." This proposal was submitted as part of a planned International Oceanographic Commission cruise in the North Pacific.
Visiting Scientists
Science Advisory Board member Dr. John Briggs (Associate Professor of Plant Biology, Arizona State University) conducted a review of the Center informatics & modeling program and presented a colloquium "Central Arizona-Phoenix LTER: Land-Use Change and Ecological Processes in an Urban Ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert". In conjunction with DOE Carlsbad Field Office, the Center hosted a colloquium entitled, "The Causes of the Accident at Chornobyl" by Dr. George Anastas, Environmental Evaluation Group, Albuquerque, New Mexico. U.S. Department of Energy sponsored a one-month practicum at CEMRC for Tracy Jue, Associate Health Physicist from Idaho National Laboratory, for training and experience in the routine operation of a lung and whole body counter.
Laboratory Capabilities Workshop
Center staff hosted the "Optimization of CBFO Sponsored Laboratory Capabilities Workshop." The purpose of the two-day workshop was to discuss analytical and scientific capabilities of DOE sponsored organizations in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The participants presented information about environmental monitoring, research and technical capabilities, industrial hygiene and health physics and analytical quality assurance/control. Workshop participants included representatives from the Center staff, Carlsbad Field Office of DOE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory and the Environmental Evaluation Group. The outcome of the workshop will consist of a detail capability matrix jointly prepared by the participants. This report will be delivered to DOE during the fourth quarter of 2001. During the workshop, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Carlsbad deployment of the Contamination Analysis Automation Mobile Environmental Laboratory, which is owned by Los Alamos National Laboratory, was also held. This deployment represents the beginning of a scientific partnership between the Center and Los Alamos National Laboratory, which will focus on scientific and technical investigations that will support the safe operation of the WIPP. Nearly 100 guests attended the ceremony including representatives from the community, DOE and NMSU main campus.
Actinide Chemistry and Repository Science Program
As part of the Center’s scientific partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Center staff installed and commissioned the Contamination Analysis Automation Mobile Environmental Laboratory. In addition, Center staff upgraded the sample preparation laboratory to house the LANL owned Unsaturated Flow Apparatus and supporting scientific infrastructure. These two laboratories will be used to support exploratory work and planning for various experiments to study the chemistry of materials important for geologic repositories and will strengthen the field of repository science. Sandia National Laboratories' Carlsbad Programs Group has been invited to participate in this initiative and facilitating memoranda of understanding are in preparation.
New Employees
George Hidy began work in July as Interim Director. Hidy holds a D. Eng. in Chemical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University and serves as a principal for Envair/Aerochem; he is a previous president of Desert Research Institute. Deborah Moir began work in September as a Senior Scientist - Radiochemistry. Moir holds a Ph.D. in nuclear analytical chemistry from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; she has 11 years of experience, including research in actinide chemistry, radioactive waste technologies, radioisotope geochemistry, and radiochemistry methodologies.
Public Outreach/Education
Center staff made a presentation about the Center program for the Downtown Lions Club and the New Mexico Retirement Association. T. Kirchner and M. Walthall made presentations on the evolution of trends in body size of animals and on radionuclide distribution in lake sediments and at the First Annual URC Research and Creative Activities Fair at New Mexico State University.
April 1 - June 30, 2001
New Projects
Joel Webb (Manager, Program Development) received initial funding of $250,000 and supplemental funding of $461,960 from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for a project "Analytical and scientific support for the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Carlsbad Office actinide chemistry and repository science program". The project provides for development of collaborative studies in actinide chemistry in support of the WIPP mission, to be conducted by Center scientists and LANL scientists using Center facilities.
Dr. Mark Walthall (Senior Scientist-Environmental Science) received funding from the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management for a project "Black River water quality and review of preliminary assessment of the Windmill Oil site".
Proposals for New Projects
Dr. Thomas Kirchner (Senior Scientist-Informatics and Modeling) submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation "Evolution of trends and gradients in body size". The proposed project would develop and apply modeling approaches to evaluate the dynamics of population parameter distributions in producing body size gradient patterns observed in nature.
Dr. Richard Arimoto (Senior Scientist-Environmental Chemistry) submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation, New Mexico EPSCoR program for a project "Infrastructure support for atmospheric science in New Mexico-Atmospheric chemistry/climate change/climate dynamics". The proposed project involves collaboration with scientists at New Mexico Tech for acquisition/installation of advanced instrumentation to establish a regional program of excellence in atmospheric studies.
Visit by Science Advisory Board Member
Science Advisory Board member Dr. Judith Chow (Research Professor, Desert Research Institute) conducted a review of the Center environmental chemistry program and presented a colloquium "Methods of precision calculation and data validation for air quality measurements".
Performance Evaluation Results
An annual report of performance evaluation in intercomparison studies for in vivo radiobioassay was released by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. For all tests for five radioanalytes performed during 2000, bias in values reported by the Center internal dosimetry program fell between -2.65% and 1.90% (with acceptance criteria at -25% and +50%). The Center's analyses were reported as one of two laboratories with the smallest average relative bias among the nine laboratories participating nationwide.
Results were received for performance evaluation tests completed in December 2000 by the Center environmental chemistry program under the InterLaB WatRTM Pollution WP-71 Proficiency Testing Program sponsored by Environmental Resource Associates. Results for 29 of the reported 30 analytes were rated "Acceptable", for an overall rating of "Excellent".
Laboratory Accreditation Assessment
An assessment of the environmental chemistry program area was completed by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), pursuant to the Center's application for accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025 for analyses of inorganic constituents in drinking water. The assessment resulted in 23 deficiencies for which corrections have been completed or are in progress, and accreditation is expected to be received within the next two months. The Center will be one of the first laboratories in the nation conducting environmental analyses to achieve accreditation under the ISO/IEC 17025, which was issued in December 1999.
New Employees
Hnin Khaing began work in June as a Specialist working in the radioanalytical and environmental chemistry areas. Khaing completed a B.S. at NMSU in May, in biology with a chemistry and biochemistry minor, and she has previously worked in laboratories at CEMRC , the WIPP and the NMSU Biology Department. Damon McNutt also began work in June as a Programmer/Analyst II. McNutt holds an Associate's degree in Applied Sciences from NMSU-Carlsbad, and has over 5 years of experience in programming and networking support, including computer systems management in private industry. Diana Cook began work in April as an Administrative Secretary I. Her previous work experience includes administrative support positions with Carlsbad Medical Center and A.I. Ltd.
Public Outreach/Education
Center staff presented exhibits for Earth Day at the Living Desert State Park (Carlsbad) and Carlsbad Community Health and Safety Fair 2001, and a presentation about the Center program for the Heights Lions Club.
December 1, 2000 - March 31, 2001
New and Extended Projects
Dr. Richard Arimoto (Senior Scientist-Environmental Chemistry) received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a project "Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE)-Asia surface network implementation, operations and coordination" to be conducted during 2000-2004. Arimoto also received funding from the NSF for a project "Integrated studies of morphological, chemical, optical and radiative properties of multi-component aerosols containing mineral dust in the ACE-Asia region" with a grant period of 2001-2002. These studies are part of a large multi-national study to characterize near-surface air over eastern Asia and the western Pacific, using a network of air samplers in China, Korea, Japan, the Phillipines and other collaborating countries.
A Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute contract extension and supplement were submitted and received by Joel Webb (Manager, Program Development) for work by the Center Radiochemistry to measure plutonium in dissolved aerosol samples.
Proposals for New Projects
Joel Webb submitted an unsolicited proposal "Actinide chemistry & repository science laboratory initiative" to DOE. The proposed project is to build and operate a new laboratory building devoted to use by scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory and other groups conducting research in support of the WIPP mission. Webb also submitted a proposal "An intercomparison study of in vivo radiobioassay background at various locations in Ontario, Canada" to Cameco Corporation. This project would involve use of the Center's Mobile Bioassay Laboratory to conduct experimental radiobioassays at several sites in Canada.
Dr. Mark Walthall (Senior Scientist-Environmental Science) collaborated with colleagues at the NMSU Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to submit a proposal "Groundwater investigation of non point source nitrate contamination in the Pecos River alluvial aquifer" to the NMSU Water Resources Research Institute. The project would investigate the spatial pattern of nitrate contamination and potential contamination sources impacting existing wells in the target area.
Participation in Scientific Conference
Richard Arimoto presented a poster "Visible spectroscopy of atmospheric dust collected on filters: iron-bearing minerals" at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, in December 2000.
Visiting Scientists
Dr. Deborah Moir (Program Manager, Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., Chalk River Laboratories) visited the Center and presented a colloquium "Determination of radionuclides in irradiated CANDU pressure tubes". Dr. Michael Smith (Professor of Ecology, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory) visited the Center and presented a colloquium "Distribution and effects of radioisotopes on small mammals on Chornobyl". Dr. Zbigniew Zagorski (Professor, Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland) visited the Center and presented a colloquium "Radiation resistance of concrete and of sodium chloride".
Visit by Program Review Board
In December, 2000, the third annual visit and review by the Center's Program Review Board (PRB) was completed. The PRB produced a report to NMSU administration, presenting observations and recommendations for actions to strengthen the Center's productivity, credibility and stability. PRB members participating in this visit were Dr. Michael Smith (Director Emeritus, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory), Dr. Stanley Auerbach (Director Emeritus, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory), Dr. David Reichle (Director Emeritus, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory), and Dr. George Hidy (former President, Desert Research Institute).
Intercomparison Results
Results were received for analyses conducted by the Center's Radiochemistry on two sets of test samples under the NIST Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program. Results reported by the Center met ANSI traceability limits and bias and precision criteria for 239,240Pu, 241Am, 238Pu, and 238U in synthetic urine, and for 239,240Pu, 238Pu, and 238U in soil.
New Employees
Joe Lippis began work at the Center in December and is now serving as a Technical/Facility Specialist. Lippis holds a B.S. and M.S. in engineering from NMSU, and has over 20 years of experience in civil, industrial and environmental engineering, and project management. John Haschets began work in January as a Technician in the field programs area.
Public Outreach/Education
Dr. Marsha Conley (Director) presented an invited seminar "Environmental monitoring at the DOE WIPP - Science serving the public interest" for the NMSU Department of Fishery & Wildlife Sciences. A profile for the Center program was provided for the Southeastern New Mexico Educational Resource Center Virtual Internet Partnership, a web site under development to link public school students with career employment information. Center staff provided interviews and facility photography access for a National Geographic photographer (for a future article on nuclear waste management) and a representative of KENW-TV, Portales (for a feature on the Gnome site). Center staff provided tours and/or presentations about the Center program for the Cavern City Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Eddy County Family Council, a home-school student group, Society for Mining and Engineering, students and faculty from the Autonomous Universidad de Ciudad Juarez, members of the Joint National Science Foundation/DOE Committee on Underground Laboratories, and representatives of the Physics Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Center staff also provided exhibits and learning activities for student science fairs at Sunset Elementary School and Joe Stanley Smith Elementary School (Carlsbad). The Center environmental chemistry laboratory provided analyses of water samples in support of student projects at Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Lovington High School.
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