Aerosols generated by /sup 239/PU and /sup 233/U droplets burning in air. [Inhalation hazards]
The inhalation hazards of radioactive aerosols produced by the explosive disruption and subsequent combustion of metallic plutonium in air are not adequately understood. Results of a study to determine whether uranium can be substituted for plutonium in such a situation in which experiments were performed under identical conditions with laser-ignited, single, freely falling droplets of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 233/U are reported. The total amounts of aerosol produced were studied quantitatively as a function of time during the combustion. Also, particle size distributions of selected aerosols were studied with aerodynamic particle separation techniques. Results showed that the ultimate quantity of aerosols, their final particle size distributions, and depositions as a function of time are not identical mainly because of the different vapor pressures of the metals, and the unlike degrees of violence of the explosions of the droplets.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA); Lovelace Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-04-0789
- OSTI ID:
- 7028489
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-78-0133C; CONF-780622-10
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
450200 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AERODYNAMICS
AEROSOLS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
COMBUSTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
DROPLETS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPLOSIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
MECHANICS
NUCLEI
OXIDATION
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIOISOTOPES
SIZE
SOLS
TOXICITY
URANIUM 233
URANIUM ISOTOPES
VARIATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES