USGS Data for the Characterization of Radionuclides in Waste Byproducts Prior to Land Application in the United States

Land applied waste byproducts were collected by USGS from 34 sites across the United States. Materials included waste byproducts from treatment of municipal sewage (biosolids), production of food (bovine, poultry, and swine wastes), and drilling of oil and gas wells (spent oil- and water-based drilling fluids). The samples represent 10 municipal wastewater treatment plants, 11 animal feeding operations, and 13 oil and gas well development sites. Except for one site that generated unrestricted material (Class AA biosolids), all sampled sites had permits that allowed land application of either biosolid, livestock, or drill wastes on nearby agricultural lands. For each sample, information is provided for the US state where the sample was collected, waste type (biosolid, livestock, drilling), subtype (biosolid class, livestock type, drilling fluid type), waste treatment type for biosolids, sampling date and time, analysis date and time, sample type (sample or field blank), and the results of analysis for 39 radionuclides. The samples were analyzed using gamma spectroscopy by ALS Environmental Laboratory (Fort Collins, Colorado, USA). Results for the gamma spectrometry analyses showed absent or low activity in radionuclides associated with natural sources, such as uranium-thorium series radioisotopes and potassium-40, with these and many other analytes being below the sample-specific minimum detection criteria. Gamma emitting radionuclides associated with artificial production and medical, industrial, or commercial uses were not observed in any samples. In contrast, some uranium-thorium series radioisotopes had low but measurable activity in biosolids and drill wastes (less than 5 picocuries per gram).