Physicochemical Characterization of Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosols II: Particle Size Distributions as a Function of Time
The Capstone Depleted Uranium (DU) Aerosol Study, which generated and characterized aerosols containing depleted uranium from perforation of armored vehicles with large-caliber DU penetrators, incorporated a sampling protocol to evaluated particle size distributions. Aerosol particle size distribution is an important parameter that influences aerosol transport and deposition processes as well as the dosimetry of the inhaled particles. These aerosols were collected on cascade impactor substrates using a pre-established time sequence following the firing event to analyze the uranium concentration and particle size of the aerosols as a function of time. The impactor substrates were analyzed using beta spectrometry, and the derived uranium content of each served as input to the evaluation of particle size distributions. Activity median aerodynamic diameters (AMADs) of the particle size distributions were evaluated using unimodal and bimodal models. The particle size data from the impactor measurements was quite variable. Most size distributions measured in the test based on activity had bimodal size distributions with a small particle size mode in the range of between 0.2 and 1.2 um and a large size mode between 2 and 15 um. In general, the evolution of particle size over time showed an overall decrease of average particle size from AMADs of 5 to 10 um shortly after perforation to around 1 um at the end of the 2-hr sampling period. The AMADs generally decreased over time because of settling. Additionally, the median diameter of the larger size mode decreased with time. These results were used to estimate the dosimetry of inhaled DU particles.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 949878
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-64971; HLTPAO; TRN: US0901913
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, 96(3):266-275, Vol. 96, Issue 3; ISSN 0017-9078
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Aerosol Sampling System for Collection of Capstone Depleted Uranium Particles in a High-Energy Environment
Physicochemical Characterization of Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosols I: Uranium Concentration in Aerosols as a Function of Time and Particle Size
Related Subjects
AERODYNAMICS
AEROSOLS
BETA SPECTROSCOPY
CASCADE IMPACTORS
DEPLETED URANIUM
DEPOSITION
DISTRIBUTION
DOSIMETRY
EVALUATION
PARTICLE SIZE
PENETRATORS
SAMPLING
SUBSTRATES
TRANSPORT
URANIUM
aerosols
environmental contamination
depleted uranium
airborne radioactivity