National Low-Level Waste Management Program Radionuclide Report Series. Volume 10, Nickel-63

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/31669· OSTI ID:31669

Carboneau, M L; Adams, J P

This report outlines the basic radiological, chemical, and physical characteristics of nickel-63 ({sup 63}Ni) and examines how these characteristics affect the behavior of {sup 63}Ni in various environmental media, such as soils, groundwater, plants, animals, the atmosphere, and the human body. Discussions also include methods of {sup 63}Ni production, waste types, and waste forms that contain {sup 63}Ni. The primary source of {sup 63}Ni in the environment has been low-level radioactive waste material generated as a result of neutron activation of stable {sup 62}Ni that is present in the structural components of nuclear reactor vessels. {sup 63}Ni enters the environment from the dismantling activities associated with nuclear reactor decommissioning. However, small amounts of {sup 63}Ni have been detected in the environment following the testing of thermonuclear weapons in the South Pacific. Concentrations as high as 2.7 Bq{sup a} per gram of sample (or equivalently 0.0022 parts per billion) were observed on Bikini Atoll (May 1954). {sup 63}Ni was not created as a fission product species (e.g., from {sup 235}U or {sup 239}Pu fissions), but instead was produced as a result of neutron capture in {sup 63}Ni, a common nickel isotope present in the stainless steel components of nuclear weapons (e.g., stainless-304 contains {approximately}9% total Ni or {approximately}0.3% {sup 63}Ni).

• Research Organization: Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-94ID13223
• OSTI ID: 31669
• Report Number(s): DOE/LLW--126; ON: DE95008568
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENT
GROUND WATER
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
NICKEL 63
PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
REACTORS
TOXICITY
WASTE DISPOSAL