The Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is considering the development of a technology-specific Super-Energy Saving Performance Contract (ESPC) for water conservation. Prior to the development however, FEMP requires the completion of a market assessment to better understand the water conservation opportunities and the strategies available for capturing them. Thus, this market assessment has been undertaken to evaluate the water conservation opportunities and answer the key questions necessary for FEMP to make recommendations on whether or not to proceed with strategies for water conservation primarily through the development of a water conservation technology-specific performance contract.

Six new resource conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the single-shell tank farm Waste Management Area S-SX in July 2000 through March 2001 in partial fulfillment of Tri-Party Agreement milestones M-24-00L and M-24-00M. This document describes the drilling, construction, sampling and analyses of samples from the wells.

The baseline three-dimensional transient inverse model for the estimation of site-wide scale flow parameters, including their uncertainties, using data on the transient behavior of the unconfined aquifer system over the entire historical period of Hanford operations, has been modified to account for the effects of basalt intercommunication between the Hanford unconfined aquifer and the underlying upper basalt confined aquifer. Both the baseline and alternative conceptual models (ACM-1) considered only the groundwater flow component and corresponding observational data in the 3-Dl transient inverse calibration efforts. Subsequent efforts will examine both groundwater flow and transport. Comparisons of goodness of fit measures and parameter estimation results for the ACM-1 transient inverse calibrated model with those from previous site-wide groundwater modeling efforts illustrate that the new 3-D transient inverse model approach will strengthen the technical defensibility of the final model(s) and provide the ability to incorporate uncertainty in predictions related to both conceptual model and parameter uncertainty. These results, however, indicate that additional improvements are required to the conceptual model framework. An investigation was initiated at the end of this basalt inverse modeling effort to determine whether facies-based zonation would improve specific yield parameter estimation results (ACM-2). A description of the justification and methodology …

Only a limited set of particle size-contaminant concentration data is available for soils from the Hanford Site. These data are based on bench-scale tests on single soil samples from one waste site each in operable units 100-BC-1, 100-DR-1, and 100-FR-1, and three samples from the North Pond 300-FF-1 operable unit. The objective of this study was to 1) examine available particle size-contaminant of concern activity and concentration data for 100 and 300 Area soils, 2) assess the effects of sampling bias, 3) suggest sampling protocols, and 4) formulate a method to determine the contaminant of concern activities and concentrations of the whole soil based on the measurements conducted on a finer size fraction of the whole soil.

This document compiles information of the drilling and construction, well development, pump installation, and sediment and groundwater sampling applicable to the installation of five new RCRA wells in calendar year 2000 - 2001. Appendix A contains the Well Summary Sheets (as-built diagrams); the Well Construction Summary Reports, and the geologist's logs; Appendix B contains physical properties data; and Appendix C contains the borehole geophysical logs.

This document is a proposed groundwater monitoring plan for the 300 Area process trenches to comply with RCRA final status, corrective action groundwater monitoring.

Two twenty-four inch samples of vertical sections of the cooling coils from Tank 5F, taken from Riser 1, were made available to SRNL by SRR for leaching and characterization of the leachates for select radionuclide trapped in the corrosion layer on the exterior of the cooling coils. One piece of cooling coil sample was obtained from a section of a vertical cooling coil located above the 45-inch elevation from the tank floor and the other also from a vertical section of a cooling coil located below the 45-inch elevation from the tank floor of Tank 5F. Analysis results from both cooling coils show that the predominant radionuclides contributing to the activity in both coils are strontium-90 and cesium-137. The activities for strontium-90 and cesium-137 in the Tank 5F vertical cooling coil located above the 45-inch elevation of the tank and designated as sample 5-R1-A45 averaged 1.34E-02 {+-} 1.12E-03 and 7.27E-04 {+-} 4.46E-05 Ci/ft{sup 2}, respectively, while the activities for the vertical cooling coil located below the 45-inch elevation of the tank and designated as sample 5-R1-B45 averaged 8.93E-03 {+-} 8.25E-04 for Sr-90 and 8.10E-04 {+-} 6.36E-05 Ci/ft{sup 2} for Cs-137. Other significant activity contributing radionuclides are americium-241 and europium-154/155. With …

The National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP), operating from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), developed the standardized Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) canister. This canister is designed to be loaded with DOE SNF (including other radioactive materials) and then be used during interim storage, during transportation to the nation’s repository, and for final disposal at the repository without having to be reopened. The canister has been fully designed and has completed significant testing that clearly demonstrates that it can safely achieve its intended design goals. During 1999, nine 457-mm diameter test canisters were fabricated at the INEEL to represent the standardized DOE SNF canister design. Various "worst case" internals were incorporated. Seven of the test canisters were 4.57 m long and weighed approximately 2721 kg, while two were 3.00 m long and weighed approximately 1360 kg and 1725 kg. Seven of the test canisters were dropped from 9 m onto an essentially unyielding flat surface and one of the test canisters was dropped from 1 m onto a 15-cm diameter puncture post. The final test canister was dropped from 61 cm onto a 50.8 mm thick vertically oriented steel plate, and then fell over …

This paper presents a triple-continuum conceptual model forsimulating flow and transport processes in fractured rock. Field datacollected from the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, a repository siteof high-level nuclear waste, show a large number of small-scalefractures. The effect of these small fractures has not been considered inprevious modeling investigations within the context of a continuumapproach. A new triple-continuum model (consisting of matrix,small-fracture, and large-fracture continua) has been developed toinvestigate the effect of these small fractures. This paper derives themodel formulation and discusses the basic triple-continuum behavior offlow and transport processes under different conditions, using bothanalytical solutions and numerical approaches. The simulation resultsfrom the site-scale model of the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountainindicate that these small fractures may have an important effect onradionuclide transport within the mountain

Dissolution experiments were performed on actual samples of NWCF Run H-4 radioactive calcine in fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Run H-4 is an aluminum/sodium blend calcine. Typical dissolution data indicates that between 90-95 wt% of H-4 calcine can be dissolved using 1gram of calcine per 10 mLs of 5-8M nitric acid at boiling temperature. Two liquid raffinate solutions composed of a WM-188/aluminum nitrate blend and a WM-185/aluminum nitrate blend were converted into calcine at the NWCF. Calcine made from each blend was collected and transferred to RAL for dissolution studies. The WM-188/aluminum nitrate blend calcine was dissolved with resultant solutions used as feed material for separation treatment experimentation. The WM-185/aluminum nitrate blend calcine dissolution testing was performed to determine compositional analyses of the dissolved solution and generate UDS for solid/liquid separation experiments. Analytical fusion techniques were then used to determine compositions of the solid calcine and UDS from dissolution. The results from each of these analyses were used to calculate elemental material balances around the dissolution process, validating the experimental data. This report contains all experimental data from dissolution experiments performed using both calcine blends.

Localized hot corrosion can occur on the cold-side of air-ports in Kraft recovery boilers. Depending on the basicity of the molten salt, either acidic or basic fluxing takes place, with a solubility minima at the transition between the two reactions. For stainless steel, if the basicity of the fused salt is between the iron and chromium oxide solubility minima, then a synergistic effect can occur that leads to rapid corrosion. The products of one reaction are the reactants of the other, which eliminates the need for rate-controlling diffusion. This effect can explain why stainless steel is attacked more readily than carbon steel.

This roadmap is a means of achieving, to the best of our current knowledge, a reasonable scientific understanding of how contaminants of all forms move in the vadose geological environments. This understanding is needed to reduce the present uncertainties in predicting contaminant movement, which in turn will reduce the uncertainties in remediation decisions.

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The purpose of this project is to develop tools that can be used to interpret tracer tests and obtain estimates of reservoir and operational parameters. These tools (mostly in the form of spreadsheet applications) can be used to optimize geothermal resource management.

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Pollution from diesel engines is a significant part of our nation's air-quality problem. Even under the more stringent standards for heavy-duty engines set to take effect in 2004, these engines will continue to emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both of which affect public health. To address this problem, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) invented a self-cleaning, high temperature, cermet filter that reduces heavy-duty diesel engine emissions. The main advantage of the INEEL cermet filter, compared to current technology, is its ability to destroy carbon particles and NOx in diesel engine exhaust. As a result, this technology is expected to improve our nation's environmental quality by meeting the need for heavy-duty diesel engine emissions control. This paper describes the cermet filter technology and the initial research and development effort.

Vortec Corporation, the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) and DOE/Paducah propose to complete the technology demonstration and the implementation of the Material Handling System developed under Contract Number DE-AC21-92MC29120. The demonstration testing and operational implementation will be done at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The scope of work, schedule and cost for the activities are included in this proposal. A description of the facility to be constructed and tested is provided in Exhibit 1, attached. The USEC proposal for implementation at Paducah is presented in Exhibit 2, and the commitment letters from the site are included in Exhibit 3. Under our agreements with USEC, Bechtel Jacobs Corporation and DOE/Paducah, Vortec will be responsible for the construction of the demonstration facility as documented in the engineering design package submitted under Phase 4 of this contract on August 9, 2001. USEC will have responsibility for the demonstration testing and commercial implementation of the plant. The demonstration testing and initial commercial implementation of the technology will be achieved by means of a USEC work authorization task with the Bechtel Jacobs Corporation. The initial processing activities will include the processing of approximately 4,250 drums of LLW. Subsequent processing of LLW and TSCA/LLW will be …

The overall purpose of the project was to explore and quantify the processes that control the formation and reactivity of biogenic iron microminerals and their impact on the solubility of metal contaminants. The research addressed how surface components of bacterial cells, extracellular organic material, and the aqueous geochemistry of the DIRB microenvironment impacts the mineralogy, chemical state and micromorphology of reduced iron phases.

ADP-ribosylation is a widely occurring and biologically critical covalent chemical modification process in pathogenic mechanisms, intracellular signaling systems, DNA repair, and cell division. The reaction is catalyzed by ADP-ribosyltransferases, which transfer the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD to a target protein with nicotinamide release. A family of bacterial toxins and eukaryotic enzymes has been termed the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases, in distinction to the poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases, which catalyze the addition of multiple ADP-ribose groups to the carboxyl terminus of eukaryotic nucleoproteins. Despite the limited primary sequence homology among the different ADP-ribosyltransferases, a central cleft bearing NAD-binding pocket formed by the two perpendicular b-sheet core has been remarkably conserved between bacterial toxins and eukaryotic mono- and poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases. The majority of bacterial toxins and eukaryotic mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases are characterized by conserved His and catalytic Glu residues. In contrast, Diphtheria toxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin A, and eukaryotic poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases are characterized by conserved Arg and catalytic Glu residues. The NAD-binding core of a binary toxin and a C3-like toxin family identified an ARTT motif (ADP-ribosylating turn-turn motif) that is implicated in substrate specificity and recognition by structural and mutagenic studies. Here we apply structure-based sequence alignment and comparative structural analyses of all known structures of ADP-ribosyltransfeases to suggest that this ARTT …

This report is on 12th International Workshop on Plant Membrane Biology

This report documents visual examination and testing conducted in 1999 and early 2000 at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) on a Gesellschaft für Nuklear Service (GNS) CASTOR V/21 pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel dry storage cask. The purpose of the examination and testing is to develop a technical basis for renewal of licenses and Certificates of Compliance for dry storage systems for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste at independent spent fuel storage installation sites. The examination and testing was conducted to assess the condition of the cask internal and external surfaces, cask contents consisting of 21 Westinghouse PWR spent fuel assemblies from Dominion’s (formerly named Virginia Power) Surry Power Station and cask concrete storage pad. The assemblies have been continuously stored in the CASTOR cask since 1985. Cask exterior surface and selected fuel assembly temperatures, and cask surface gamma and neutron dose rates were measured. Cask external/internal surfaces, fuel basket components including accessible weldments, fuel assembly exteriors, and primary lid seals were visually examined. Selected fuel rods were removed from one fuel assembly, visually examined, and then shipped to Argonne National Laboratory for nondestructive, destructive, and mechanical examination. Cask interior crud samples and helium cover …

This technical document provides details of derived correction factors for the Eberline R0-20 survey meter, which uses an ionization chamber to measure ambient exposure rates. A thin end window allows the instrument to measure exposure rates from non-penetrating radiation (i.e., beta radiation). Correction factors are provided for contact measurements with beta and gamma disk sources, gamma beams and, finally, general area beta fields. Beta correction factors are based on the instrument's response to 204Tl, selected as the most conservative isotope for beta correction factors, as indicated in previous studies of similar instruments using 204Tl, 147Pm, and 90Sr(Y) isotopes (LANL 1982). Gamma correction factors are based on 137Cs, considered the predominant source of gamma radiation on the Hanford Site.

Gravitinos with a mass in the keV range are an interesting candidate for warm dark matter. Recent measurements of the matter density of the universe and of cosmic structures at the dwarf galaxy scale rule out the simplest gravitino models with thermal freeze-out. We construct a model where the decay of the messenger particles that transmit the supersymmetry breaking to the observable sector generates the required entropy to dilute the gravitino relic density by the required factor of a few to come in line with observations. The model is natural, and requires only that the coupling of the messenger sector to the standard model be set so that the decay happens at the appropriate time.

Both ErbB1 and ErbB2 are overexpressed or amplified in breast tumors. To examine the effects of activating ErbB receptors in a context that mimics polarized epithelial cells in vivo, we activated ErbB1 and ErbB2 homodimers in preformed, growth-arrested mammary acini cultured in three-dimensional basement membrane gels. Activation of ErbB2, but not that of ErbB1, led to a reinitiation of cell proliferation and altered the properties of mammary acinar structures. These altered structures share several properties with early-stage tumors, including a loss of proliferative suppression, an absence of lumen, retention of the basement membrane and a lack of invasive properties. ErbB2 activation also disrupted tight junctions and the cell polarity of polarized epithelia, whereas ErbB1 activation did not have any effect. Our results indicate that ErbB receptors differ in their ability to induce early stages of mammary carcinogenesis in vitro and this three-dimensional model system can reveal biological activities of oncogenes that cannot be examined in vitro in standard transformation assays.