Long-term exposure of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ to a terrestrial environment. Volume III
A plutonium oxide source consisting of a single piece of 83% /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ and weighing 38 g was exposed for 2.9 years to a humid, temperate terrestrial environment in an environmental simulation chamber. The soil tray of the chamber was divided into four compartments so that different soil types could be studied under identical conditions. Soils examined in this experiment included loam, silt loam, sand, and humus. Plutonium released into the soils, the soil drainages, and the condensates from the dehumidifier was monitored throughout the experiment. The total plutonium release rate from the PuO/sub 2/ source was approximately 2 ng/m/sup 2//s. The generation of short-ranged airborne plutonium, able to travel from a few centimeters to half a meter, was one of the most significant release pathways. The amount of plutonium released in this way was 10 times that washed directly off the source by rainwater and 20 times that from the fully airborne (longer ranged) release. Of the 200 ..mu..g of plutonium deposited in the soils, less than 0.1 ..mu..g was released into the soil percolates. In fact, the soil percolates constituted the least significant release pathway. Within the uncertainties in deriving the plutonium inventories of the soil compartments, we found no discernible differences among the behaviors of the four soil types towards plutonium. There was little or no seasonal effect on the release of plutonium from the soil.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5710757
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9487-MS-Vol.3; ON: DE85011896
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Interaction of an iridium-clad RTG heat source unit with a simulated terrestrial environment. [/sup 238/PuO/sub 2/]
Long-term exposure of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ to a terrestrial environment. Volume 2
Related Subjects
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES
PLUTONIUM 238
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
LEACHATES
RAIN
SOILS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISPERSIONS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAT SOURCES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
070300 - Isotopic Power Supplies