Air Quality - sdmp-00330118

DOE-HDBK-XXXX-2005

06/30/2005

AIR QUALITY. The cleanliness of the air as measured by the levels of pollutants relative to

standards or guideline levels established to protect human health and welfare. Air quality is

often expressed in terms of the pollutant for which concentrations are the highest percentage of

a standard (e.g., air quality may be unacceptable if the level of one pollutant is 150% of its

standard, even if levels of other pollutants are well below their respective standards). [Derived

from EPA Terms]

ALARA. See "As low as reasonably achievable."

ALPHA PARTICLE. A positively charged particle ejected spontaneously from the nuclei of

some radioactive elements. It is identical to a helium nucleus and has a mass number of 4 and

an electrostatic charge of +2. It has low penetrating power and a short range (a few centimeters

in air). (See alpha radiation.) [NRC Glossary]

10.

ALPHA RADIATION. A strongly ionizing, but weakly penetrating, form of radiation

consisting of positively charged alpha particles emitted spontaneously from the nuclei of

certain elements during radioactive decay. Alpha radiation is the least penetrating of the four

common types of ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron). Even the most

energetic alpha particle generally fails to penetrate the dead layers of cells covering the skin

and can be easily stopped by a sheet of paper. Alpha radiation is most hazardous when an

alpha-emitting source resides inside an organism. (See alpha particle.) [Derived from NRC

Glossary, NCRP 65]

11.

APPLICABLE OR RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE REQUIREMENTS (ARARS).

Requirements that must be met when taking an action under the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). They include cleanup standards,

standards of control, and other substantive environmental protection requirements and criteria

established under Federal and state law and regulations. (See Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.) [Derived from 40 CFR 300.5]

12.

AQUIFER. A body of rock or sediment that is capable of transmitting groundwater and

yielding usable quantities of water to wells or springs. [Derived from AGI 87, DOE 6430.1A]

EPA regulations define "aquifer" as follows (different regulations vary slightly in wording):

An underground geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that is

capable of yielding a significant amount of water to wells or springs. [40 CFR 146.3, 149.2,

144.3, 191.12, 260.10, 270.2]

13.

AS LOW AS REASONABLY ACHIEVABLE (ALARA). An approach to radiation

protection to manage and control worker and public exposures (both individual and collective)

and releases of radioactive material to the environment to as far below applicable limits as

social, technical, economic, practical, and public policy considerations permit. ALARA is not a

dose limit but a process for minimizing doses to as far below limits as is practicable. [Derived

from 10 CFR 835.2, Proposed 10 CFR 834]

A-5