Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is in the process of developing a radiological air monitoring program for the PNNL Site that is distinct from that of the nearby Hanford Site. The original DQO (PNNL-19427) considered radiological emissions at the PNNL Site from Physical Sciences Facility (PSF) major emissions units. This first revision considers PNNL Site changes subsequent to the implementation of the original DQO. A team was established to determine how the PNNL Site changes would continue to meet federal regulations and address guidelines developed to monitor air emissions and estimate offsite impacts of radioactive material operations. The result is an updated program to monitor the impact to the public from the PNNL Site. The team used the emission unit operation parameters and local meteorological data as well as information from the PSF Potential-to-Emit documentation and Notices of Construction submitted to the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH). The locations where environmental monitoring stations would most successfully characterize the maximum offsite impacts of PNNL Site emissions from the three PSF buildings with major emission units were determined from these data. Three monitoring station locations were determined during the original revision of this document. This first revision considers expanded Department of …

None

Studies on higher plants have revealed the operation of cell-to-cell and long-distance communication networks that mediate the transport of information macromolecules, such as proteins and RNA. Based on the findings from this DOE-funded project and results from other groups, it is now well established that the enucleate sieve tube system of the angiosperms contains a complex set of proteins including RNA binding proteins as well as a unique population of RNA molecules, comprised of both mRNA and small RNA species. Hetero-grafting experiments demonstrated that delivery of such RNA molecules, into the scion, is highly correlated with changes in developmental phenotypes. Furthermore, over the course of this project, our studies showed that plasmodesmata and the phloem are intimately involved in the local and systemic spread of sequence-specific signals that underlie gene silencing in plants. Major advances were also made in elucidating the underlying mechanisms that operate to mediate the selective entry and exit of proteins and RNA into and out of the phloem translocation stream. Our pioneering studies identified the first plant protein with the capacity to both bind specifically to small RNA molecules (si-RNA) and mediate in the cell-to-cell movement of such siRNA. Importantly, studies conducted with support from this …

None

None

None

The major factor limiting waste loading in continuous high-level radioactive waste (HLW) melters is an accumulation of particles in the glass discharge riser during a frequent and periodic idling of more than 20 days. An excessive accumulation can produce robust layers a few centimeters thick, which may clog the riser, preventing molten glass from being poured into canisters. Since the accumulation rate is driven by the size of particles we investigated with x-ray microtomography, scanning electron microscopy, and image analysis the impact of spinel forming components, noble metals, and alumina on the size, concentration, and spatial distribution of particles, and on the accumulation rate. Increased concentrations of Fe and Ni in the baseline glass resulted in the formation of large agglomerates that grew over the time to an average size of ~185+-155 {mu}m, and produced >3 mm thick layer after 120 h at 850 deg C. The noble metals decreased the particle size, and therefore significantly slowed down the accumulation rate. Addition of alumina resulted in the formation of a network of spinel dendrites which prevented accumulation of particles into compact layers.

Although Idaho's electrical rates are among the lowest in the country, the Nez Perce Tribe's electrical bills take a large bite out of the operating budget every year. Tribal programs are located in forty some buildings, in six counties, in two states. Ninety-five percent, or more, are heated electrically. The age of the Tribal office buildings located in Lapwai, Idaho vary from forty to over a hundred years old. Only sporadic updates, in the buildings themselves, have been made over the years. Working with the Tribe's electrical provider (Avista Corporation), it was determine that a minimum financial commitment could reap large rewards in the form of lower operating costs.

None

Absorption and desorption of carbon dioxide on Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}-promoted MgO have been studied at temperatures compatible with warm gas cleanup (300–470 ◦C) from a pre-combustion syngas. The absorbents are synthesized through the formation and activation of the precipitate resulting from the addition of sodium carbonate to an aqueous solution of magnesium nitrate. The absorbent, which comprises MgO, Na{sub 2CO{sub 3} and residual NaNO{sub 3} after activation, forms the double salt Na{sub 2}Mg(CO{sub 3}){sub 2} on exposure to CO{sub 2}. The thermodynamic properties of the double salt, obtained through computational calculation, predict that the preferred temperature range for absorption of CO{sub 2} with the double salt is significantly higher compared with MgO. Faster CO{sub 2} uptake can be achieved as a result of this higher temperature absorption window. Absorption tests indicate that the double salt absorbent as prepared has a capacity toward CO{sub 2} of 15 wt.% (3.4 mmol CO{sub 2}/g absorbent) and can be easily regenerated through both pressure swing and temperature swing absorption in multiple-cycle tests. Thermodynamic calculations also predict an important effect of CO{sub 2} partial pressure on the absorption capacity in the warm temperature range. The impurity phase, NaNO{sub 3}, is identified as a key component …

None

The contribution of funds from DOE supported publication costs of a special issue of Deep Sea Research arising from presentations at the First U.S. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) Meeting held 4-6 May, 2009 to review the US implementation plan and its coordination with other monitoring activities. The special issue includes a total of 16 papers, including publications from three DOE-supported investigators (ie Sevellec, F., and A.V. Fedorov; Hu et. al., and Wan et. al.,). The special issue addresses DOE interests in understanding and simulation/modeling of abrupt climate change.

Annual financial report of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for fiscal year 2012, including various comparative balance sheets and statements.