Development of dose-based release limits for unrestricted release of a radiochemistry laboratory

Current regulations for unrestricted release are based on annual dose equivalent. Unless one desires to use very conservative "screening levels," dose modeling must be accomplished to derive an areal or volumetric limit or concentration value for release purposes. Such derived limits are referred to as "Derived Concentration Guideline Levels" (DCGL). This paper describes the process employed to derive DCGLs for building surfaces contaminated with uranium and its decay progeny based on annual dose equivalent and the innovative means employed during the derivation.