Investigation of the degree of equilibrium of the long-lived uranium-238 decay-chain members in airborne and bulk uranium-ore dusts
The degree of disequilibrium among /sup 238/U decay chain members in some airborne dusts and typical ores has been established by precise radiochemical analyses. This information is necessary to evaluate the lung dose model currently used for estimating the effect of the inhalation of uranium ore dust. The particle size distributions of airborne decay chain components in dusts at one uranium mill have been investigated. Statistically significant disequilibria were observed for /sup 230/Th, /sup 226/Ra, and /sup 210/Pb in both airborne dusts and composite ore samples. With the exception of ore from one mill in the United States, most of the daughter concentrations in powdered ore composites were within 10% of /sup 238/U. In airborne dusts, the concentration of /sup 226/Ra was typically below /sup 238/U; the minimum /sup 226/Ra concentration observed for airborne ore dusts was 56% of equilibrium. A statistically significant particle size dependence was observed for /sup 226/Ra//sup 238/U ratios in several airborne dusts collected at a uranium mill.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5074515
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-1895; PNL-3696; ON: DE82020897
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Solubility classification of airborne products from uranium ores and tailings piles. [Solubility parameters are based on airborne and seived ground dust samples]
Development of new and improved data reduction techniques for radiometric assay of bulk uranium ore samples. Final report
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
EQUILIBRIUM
ISOTOPE RATIO
URANIUM ORES
DUSTS
FEED MATERIALS PLANTS
LEAD 210
PARTICLE SIZE
RADIUM 226
THORIUM 230
URANIUM 238
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ISOTOPES
LEAD ISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
ORES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
SIZE
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
500300* - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety