Determination of /sup 241/Pu in low-level radioactive wastes from reactors

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Health Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198611000-00005· OSTI ID:6928513

Martin, J E

Plutonium-241 is unique in low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) from nuclear power plants because it is the only significant beta-emitting transuranic nuclide in LLW, has a relatively short half-life of 14.4 y, and has a fairly high allowable concentration for shallow land burial. Radiochemical separation of Pu followed by liquid scintillation analysis was used to quantitate /sup 241/Pu in a wide range of solid, semi-solid, and liquid LLW samples from two nuclear plants in Michigan. The /sup 241/Pu concentrations varied considerably by sample type and reactor operational period as did their correlation with /sup 1//sub 37/Cs, /sup 144/Ce, /sup 239/Pu and /sup 240/Pu concentrations in the same sample. These patterns were also found in reported data for /sup 241/Pu in LLW from other reactors, raising the difficulty of accurately determining the inventory (or source term) in a LLW shallow land burial site and its implications for predicting and controlling the future environmental and public health impacts of such disposal.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• OSTI ID: 6928513
• Journal Information: Health Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Health Phys.; (United States) Vol. 5; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

053000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
510300 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CERIUM 144
CERIUM ISOTOPES
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM 241
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POWER PLANTS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
SCINTILLATION COUNTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES