Maximum Reasonable Radioxenon Releases from Medical Isotope Production Facilities and Their Effect on Monitoring Nuclear Explosions

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2012.07.018· OSTI ID:1060643

Bowyer, Ted W. ^[1]; Kephart, Rosara F.; Eslinger, Paul W. ^[1]; Friese, Judah I. ^[1]; Miley, Harry S. ^[1]; Saey, Paul R. ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
2. Vienna University of Technology, Atomic Institute of the Austrian Universities, Vienna (Austria)

Fission gases such as 133Xe are used extensively for monitoring the world for signs of nuclear testing in systems such as the International Monitoring System (IMS). These gases are also produced by nuclear reactors and by fission production of 99Mo for medical use. Recently, medical isotope production facilities have been identified as the major contributor to the background of radioactive xenon isotopes (radioxenon) in the atmosphere (Saey, et al., 2009). These releases pose a potential future problem for monitoring nuclear explosions if not addressed. As a starting point, a maximum acceptable daily xenon emission rate was calculated, that is both scientifically defendable as not adversely affecting the IMS, but also consistent with what is possible to achieve in an operational environment. This study concludes that an emission of 5×109 Bq/day from a medical isotope production facility would be both an acceptable upper limit from the perspective of minimal impact to monitoring stations, but also appears to be an achievable limit for large isotope producers.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1060643
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA--89848; NN4011010
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity Vol. 115; ISSN 0265-931X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
CTBT
medical isotopes
nuclear explosion
radioxenon