Alpha emitting transuranic radionuclides in low level wastes from reactors

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Radiation Protection Management; (United States)

OSTI ID:5244586

Martin, J E ^[1]; Doolittle, W W ^[2]

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1. School of Public Health, Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
2. Iowa Electric Light and Power Co., Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar Rapids, IA (US)

This paper reports on alpha emitting transuranic (TRU) radionuclides that were analyzed in low level radioactive wastes from the Big Rock Point and Palisades Nuclear Plants using solvent extraction followed by coprecipitation with lanthanum carrier and measurement by alpha spectrometry. The concentrations of the alpha emitters, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu-{sup 240}Pu, {sup 241}Am, and {sup 242}Cm and their correlation ratios with {sup 137}Cs and {sup 144}Ce were found to be highly variable but within the range of data from other studies and generally acceptable for shallow land burial. The highest concentrations of TRUs were observed in resins and primary filters and filter crud. Am-243 was used successfully as a tracer to determine the chemical yield for americium and curium analyses. These results and other available reported data establish the necessity for periodic radiochemical determinations of TRUs in low level radiative waste from reactors.

• OSTI ID: 5244586
• Journal Information: Radiation Protection Management; (United States), Journal Name: Radiation Protection Management; (United States) Vol. 3:4; ISSN 0740-0640; ISSN RPMAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220502* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Environmental Aspects-- Radioactive Effluents
440103 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Nuclear Spectroscopic Instrumentation
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA PARTICLES
ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIG ROCK POINT REACTOR
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CERIUM 144
CERIUM ISOTOPES
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CURIUM 242
CURIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXTRACTION
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LANTHANUM
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PALISADES-1 REACTOR
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POWER REACTORS
PRECIPITATION
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
RARE EARTHS
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICON 32 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECTROSCOPY
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
THERMAL REACTORS
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOT
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES