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ABC Labs

1.0 Site Identification

2.0 Site Status Summary

ABC Labs is a 56 acre site, which contains 13 buildings (A through M), a number of greenhouses used for plant studies, and two former sanitary lagoons (each 200 square feet (ft2), which have been filled in with soil and one, which is still open and filled with water (13,500 ft2). The three lagoons and the associated drainage field involve approximately 5.1 acres.

Analytical Bio-Chemistry Laboratories, Inc. (ABC Labs) is a Type A Broadscope licensee, and is authorized to perform the following activities: 1) development activities involving general laboratory use, and animal and field studies; and 2) manufacture and distribution of radiochemicals to specific licensees. Analytical Bio-Chemistry Laboratories was first licensed to use materials August 5, 1969.

3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues

The licensee's document Evaluation of ABC Laboratories Facilities indicates that there were two sanitary sewer lagoons which were filled in with soil during 1985. These lagoons were replaced by a third larger lagoon, which was operational until 2004 when the licensee tied its sanitary discharge into a municipal sanitary system. The most recent lagoon was permitted by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The lagoon liner consists of compacted clay. On February 15 , 2007, the licensee received results for the samples that were collected during January 2007. The data identified radiological concentrations of carbon-14 ranging at levels between 1 picocurie per gram (pCi/g) to a sample high of 976 pCi/g. The counting systems minimum detectable activity (MDA) for carbon14 was 1 pCi/g. The analysis data identified radiological concentrations of hydrogen-3 in the samples ranging from approximately 3 pCi/g to a sample high of 42 pCi/g. The counting systems MDA for hydrogen-3 was 3 pCi/g. The NRC specifies screening values for surface soils in NUREG 1757, Volume 1, Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance Decommissioning Process for Materials Licensees, Table B.2 Interim Screening Values (pCi/g) of Common Radio nuclides for Soil Surface Contamination Levels. The screening values for carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 are 12 pCi/g and 110 pCi/g, respectively. Additionally, the licensee indicated that two water samples were collected from a shallow non-potable well, which is near the open lagoon. The analysis results for the two water samples were 246 and 318 picocuries per liter (pCI/L for carbon-14. The MDA for the counting system for carbon-14 was approximately 24 pCi/L. The hydrogen-3 water sample results were reported as zero pCi/L. The Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels in soil for carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 are 46 pCi/g and 228 pCi/g. The EPA's MCLs for carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 in ground-water are 2,000 pCi/L and 20,000 pCi/L, respectively.

4.0 Estimated Date For Closure

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Tuesday, November 04, 2008