Long-term exposure of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ to an arid terrestrial environment
Two environmental simulation chambers were used to study the behavior of a /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ heat source deposited in an arid, temperate environment. Large fragments from an impact-tested source were deposited in the first chamber, and fines from the source were placed in the second. Plutonium released into the soil, the soil drainages, and the condensates from the dehumidifiers were monitored throughout the experiment. The bulk of the released plutonium, up to 0.04% of the source, was retained in the soil. Of the remainder, larger amounts of plutonium were released to the condensates (to the air) than to the soil percolates. Release rates to the condensates and percolates increased with time for both chambers. Condensate release rates averaged 23 nCi/day for the fines chamber and 90 nCi/day for the chamber with the large fragments. Percolate release rates averaged 224 nCi/rain for the fines chamber and 170 nCi/rain for the other chamber. Spalling of particles from the surface of the plutonium oxide to the air, caused by the action of rain on the hot source fragments, seemed to be a significant release mechanism for the large source fragments but not for the fines. A simulated cleanup operation, involving removal of the source and a small amount of soil, had little effect on the continuing release of plutonium to the soil percolates and to the dehumidifier condensates, except that the condensate release rates from the chamber that had contained the large source fragments dropped to a value equal to that of the other chamber. The large source fragments remained virtually unchanged after 8.5 yr of exposure, in contrast to one previous experiment in which fragments of similar size disintegrated into fines.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6656365
- Report Number(s):
- LA-10054; ON: DE84015985; TRN: 84-018886
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
PLUTONIUM 238
CONTAMINATION
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SOILS
PARTICLES
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
RAIN
SIMULATION
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
070300* - Isotopic Power Supplies
510301 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Soil- (-1987)