The Risk Assessment Information System

Portsmouth Background

Background concentrations for selected metals and radionuclides in the soil and groundwater

The background data and associated references presented here are for different bedrock formations at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). The tables include samples from surface soil (0-1 ft), Minford clay and silt (1-30 ft), Gallia sand and gravel (30-35 ft), and groundwater from Berea sandstone (35-70 ft). Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the geological relationships at PORTS (found in Final Soil Background Report for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Piketon, Ohio).

Figure 1. PORTS Geological Formations (click to display)


Table 1 is synthesized from the Final Soil Background Report for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Piketon, Ohio, completed by DOE in 2015. This document provides background levels sampled from PORTS in 1996, ranges in Ohio soils, and a 1993 reference soil from Fernald, OH.

Metal
Table 1: Soil Background Value (mg/kg)
1993 Ohio Soils
1996 Minford
2015 Surface Soil
(0-1 ft)
2015 Unsaturated Minford
(1-16 ft)
2015 Saturated Minford
(16-30 ft)
2015 Gallia
(30-35 ft)
Range in Ohio Soils Data
Aluminum 11,880 (0-6'') 15,314 24,500 20,700 12,700 13,400 8,180 - 16,100
14,742 (48-54'')
Antimony 7.7 (0-6'') --- 2.05 1.83 3.51 8.43 6.7 - 7.7
6.7 (48-54'')
Arsenic 8.45 (0-6'') 31 30.8 29 85.6 129 5.72 - 56
8.82 (48-54'')
Barium 126.09 (0-6'') 181 114 136 72.1 99.9 63.4 - 323
98.72 (48-54'')
Beryllium 0.60 (0-6'') 1.40 1.25 1.60 1.17 1.51 0.377 - 3.15
0.63 (48-54'')
Cadmium 0.64 (0-6'') 2.00 0.241 0.282 0.688 2.00 0.2 - 4.40
0.59 (48-54'')
Chromium 15.5 (0-6'') 28.6 32.4 29.4 24.6 28.9 12 - 80.5
18.87 (48-54'')
Cobalt 15.17 (0-6'') 28.2 28.5 37.4 18.6 26.5 6.42 - 53.6
15.68 (48-54'')
Copper 16.43 (0-6'') 32.6 18.5 26.2 23.1 27.5 11.8 - 58
18.55 (48-54'')
Iron 22,323 (0-6'') 51,180 86,100 62,800 56,400 27.5 18,400 - 100,000
27,853 (48-54'')
Lead 25.57 (0-6'') 32 33 22.6 12.7 37.5 13.35 - 147
13.35 (48-54'')
Lithium --- 35 113 123 120 97.3 35
Manganese 1,772 (0-6'') 2,012 1,860 1,490 465 2,560 459 - 2,012
940 (48-54'')
Mercury 0.30 (0-6'') 0.048 0.0600 0.0520 0.0410 0.0674 0.081 - 1.60
0.29 (48-54'')
Nickel 20.87 (0-6'') 34 22.6 50.3 52.7 78.2 14.4 - 110
28.37 (48-54'')
Selenium 0.72 (0-6'') 3 1.79 0.639 0.637 0.564 0.61 - 3
0.61 (48-54'')
Silver 2.6 (0-6'') 2.5 11.0 7.48 3.66 14.1 2.2 - 2.6
2.2 (48-54'')
Thallium 0.58 (0-6'') 2.5 0.327 0.359 0.821 0.501 0.43 - 2.5
0.43 (48-54'')
Uranium 3.706 (0-6'') 4.8 4.05 4.73 7.19 7.3 3.683 - 4.8
3.683 (48-54'')
Vanadium 30.37 (0-6'') 50.2 78.0 58.0 65.1 87.6 17.4 - 71
34.97 (48-54'')
Zinc 59.61 (0-6'') 101 93.1 117 148 244 42.7 - 190
59.19 (48-54'')
Radionuclide
Background Value (pCi/g)
Thorium-228 1.560 (0-6'') --- 1.64 1.88 1.56 1.73 1.5 - 1.6
1.475 (48-54'')
Thorium-230 2.175 (0-6'') --- 1.59 1.74 2.42 2.52 2.15 - 2.17
2.153 (48-54'')
Thorium-232 1.362 (0-6'') --- 1.56 1.91 1.63 1.73 1.4 - 1.6
1.458 (48-54'')
Uranium-233/234 1.244 (0-6'') --- 1.30 1.57 2.36 2.34 1.1 - 1.2
1.061 (48-54'')
Uranium-235/236 0.148 (0-6'') --- 0.0987 0.119 0.170 0.171 0.13 - 0.15
0.125 (48-54'')
Uranium-238 1.222 (0-6'') --- 1.36 1.59 2.41 2.45 1.2
1.218 (48-54'')

The values presented in Table 2 can be found in the revised Deferred Units Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Investigation/Corrective Measures Study Report for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Piketon, Ohio (DU RFI/CMS Report), DOE/PPPO/03-0772&D3, February 3, 2022.

Analyte
Table 2: Groundwater Background Value
Gallia background (ug/l)
Berea background (ug/l)
Antimony
36.5
39.5
Arsenic
92
12
Barium
151
4,011
Beryllium
6.5
7
Cadmium
6.5
7
Chromium
21
17.5
Cobalt
13
91
Copper
21
22.5
Cyanide, total
10.5
10.5
Fluoride
410
4,212
Hexavalent Chromium
20.5
37.5
Lead
16
10
Mercury
1.5
1.5
Nickel
30.5
840
Selenium
10.5
10.5
Silver
10.5
11
Thallium
10.5
21.5
Tin
36.5
39.5
Uranium, total
1
1
Vanadium
41
12.5
Zinc
106
115

The values presented in Table 3 can be found in Final Human Health Risk Assessment. Pike County Community, Piketon, Ohio, Auxier & Associates, Inc. May 2023.

Radionuclide
Table 3: Background Area Radionuclide Concentrations
Media: Soil
# of Samples
Range (pCi/g)
Median (pCi/g)
Average (pCi/g)
St. Dev. (pCi/g)
Am-241
51
-0.0054 - 0.015
0.004
0.004
0.004
Np-237
51
-0.0035 - 0.0077
0
0.001
0.002
Pu-238
51
-0.0037 - 0.011
0.0019
0.002
0.003
Pu-240
51
0 - 0.025
0.0086
0.009
0.006
Tc-99
51
-0.15 - 0.89
0.015
0.11
0.23
U-233/234
51
0.67 - 10.3
1.41
1.9
1.6
U-235/236
51
0.013 - 0.359
0.07
0.085
0.06
U-238
51
0.65 - 8.4
1.44
1.9
1.4
Media: Sediment
# of Samples
Range (pCi/g)
Median (pCi/g)
Average (pCi/g)
St. Dev. (pCi/g)
Am-241
11
0 - 0.0074
0.0039
0.004
0.003
Np-237
11
-0.0017 - 0.005
0
0.001
0.002
Pu-238
11
-0.0018 - 0.0037
0.0017
0.001
0.002
Pu-240
11
0 - 0.018
0.0069
0.007
0.006
Tc-99
11
-0.16 - 0.26
-0.045
0.011
0.14
U-233/234
11
1.1 - 5.3
2.17
2.4
1.3
U-235/236
11
0.041 - 0.20
0.087
0.093
0.047
U-238
11
1.1 - 5.0
2.09
2.3
1.2
Media: Surface Water
# of Samples
Range (pCi/L)
Median (pCi/L)
Average (pCi/L)
St. Dev. (pCi/L)
Am-241
13
-0.021 - 0.1
0.057
0.043
0.039
Np-237
13
-0.02 - 0.039
0
-0.001
0.02
Pu-238
13
-0.0019 - 0.077
0.019
0.026
0.025
Pu-240
13
0 - 0.095
0.037
0.043
0.025
Tc-99
13
-4.6 - 1.9
-0.41
-0.74
1
U-233/234
13
0.019 - 0.88
0.33
0.38
0.30
U-235/236
13
0 - 0.09
0.024
0.032
0.029
U-238
13
0.057 - 0.89
0.24
0.312
0.26
Media: Dust, Interior Surfaces
# of Samples
Range (pCi/cm²)
Median (pCi/cm²)
Average (pCi/cm²)
St. Dev. (pCi/cm²)
Am-241
32
0 - 0.0001
0.000024
0
0
Np-237
32
0 - 0.0001
0
0
0
Pu-238
32
-0.0001 - 0.0001
0.00001
0
0
Pu-240
32
0 - 0.0001
0.000053
0
0
Tc-99
32
-0.0081 - 0.0021
-0.00205
-0.003
0.003
U-233/234
32
0 - 0.0281
0.000175
0.001
0.005
U-235/236
32
0 - 0.0009
0.000014
0
0
U-238
32
0 - 0.0043
0.00016
0
0.001

The values presented in Table 4 can be found in Final Human Health Risk Assessment. Pike County Community, Piketon, Ohio, Auxier & Associates, Inc. May 2023.

Radionuclide
Table 4: Detected Concentrations Only: Background Area Radionuclides
Media: Soil
# of Samples
Range (pCi/g)
Median (pCi/g)
Average (pCi/g)
St. Dev. (pCi/g)
Am-241
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Np-237
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-238
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-240
27
0.007 - 0.025
0.012
0.013
0.005
Tc-99
17
0.034 - 0.89
0.27
0.35
0.51
U-233/234
51
0.67 - 10.3
1.4
2.0
1.6
U-235/236
51
0.013 - 0.36
0.07
0.085
0.06
U-238
51
0.65 - 8.37
1.4
1.9
1.4
Media: Sediment
# of Samples
Range (pCi/g)
Median (pCi/g)
Average (pCi/g)
St. Dev. (pCi/g)
Am-241
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Np-237
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-238
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-240
4
0.009 - 0.018
0.014
0.014
0.004
Tc-99
2
0.20 - 0.26
0.23
0.23
0.044
U-233/234
11
1.1 - 5.3
2.17
2.3
1.3
U-235/236
11
0.041 - 0.204
0.087
0.093
0.047
U-238
11
1.1 - 5.0
2.09
2.3
1.2
Media: Surface Water
# of Samples
Range (pCi/L)
Median (pCi/L)
Average (pCi/L)
St. Dev. (pCi/L)
Am-241
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Np-237
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-238
1
0.077 - 0.077
0.077
0.077
N/A
Pu-240
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Tc-99
1
1.9 - 1.9
1.88
1.9
N/A
U-233/234
11
0.1 - 0.88
0.34
0.44
0.29
U-235/236
1
0.09 - 0.09
0.09
0.09
N/A
U-238
9
0.08 - 0.89
0.25
0.37
0.28
Media: Dust, Interior Surfaces
# of Samples
Range (pCi/cm²)
Median (pCi/cm²)
Average (pCi/cm²)
St. Dev. (pCi/cm²)
Am-241
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Np-237
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-238
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pu-240
0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Tc-99
2
0.001 - 0.002
0.001
0.001
0.001
U-233/234
16
0 - 0.028
0
0.002
0.007
U-235/236
3
0 - 0.001
0
0
0
U-238
26
0 - 0.004
0
0
0.001


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