Why is weapons grade plutonium more hazardous to work with than highly enriched uranium?

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Chemical Health and Safety

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchas.2014.10.004· OSTI ID:1221769

Cournoyer, Michael E. ^[1]; Costigan, Stephen A. ^[1]; Schake, Bradley S. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Highly Enriched Uranium and Weapons grade plutonium have assumed positions of dominant importance among the actinide elements because of their successful uses as explosive ingredients in nuclear weapons and the place they hold as key materials in the development of industrial use of nuclear power. While most chemists are familiar with the practical interest concerning HEU and WG Pu, fewer know the subtleties among their hazards. In this study, a primer is provided regarding the hazards associated with working with HEU and WG Pu metals and oxides. The care that must be taken to safely handle these materials is emphasized and the extent of the hazards is described. The controls needed to work with HEU and WG Pu metals and oxides are differentiated. Given the choice, one would rather work with HEU metal and oxides than WG Pu metal and oxides.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1221769
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1357069
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--14-28883
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Health and Safety Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 22; ISSN 1871-5532
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
Plutonium
Uranium
Hazards
Assessment