This study investigated the dependence of Pu3+ and Pu4+ vertical distribution on the soil characteristics in soddy and forest soil. Soil samples were analysed for organic matter and pH. Special columns with contaminated (239Pu) soil surface were kept for 326 days under field conditions. The analysis of the contaminated soil layers (5 cm each, totalling 20 cm) showed that 81% of 239Pu4+, 44% of ...

Zirconia-Magnesia Inert Matrix Fuel and Waste Form: Synthesis, Characterization and Chemical Performance in an Advanced Fuel Cycle by Kiel Steven Holliday Dr. Ken Czerwinski, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Chemistry Chair of the Department of Radiochemistry University of Nevada, Las Vegas There is a significant buildup in plutonium stockpiles throughout the world, because of spent nuc...

In a Commission briefing on high-bumup fuel on March 25, 1997, the staff said that they would prepare a white paper on mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in anticipation of a DOE program to bum excess weapons plutonium in commercial reactors. This memorandum and its attachment comprise that paper and are provided to inform the Commissioners of technical issues associated with such a program. More recently,...

The VVER-1000 thermal neutron reactor can operate on mixed uranium-plutonium fuel with a content of reactor-grade plutonium up to 5% 100% loaded core. In this case, burns 56% odd isotopes. energy potential such is very low, and its further use in reactors impractical. However, be used fast reactors. paper presents the results investigating possibility for isotopic composition BN-1200 value incr...

The Japanese plutonium program continues to dwell on the minds of nuclear nonproliferation watchers. Japan remains the only non-nuclear weapon state that is operating uranium enrichment and reprocessing plants, all of which are technically capable of producing fissile materials for nuclear weapons. The magnitude of these projects exceeds those of other nations that have either abandoned or post...

As the Manhattan Project shifted to theory of implosion assembly in 1944, plutonium was extremely rare and large uncertainties surrounded function Gadget. For these reasons, a team within began another ambitious experiment: confine effects detonating two tons high explosives enable recovery precious plutonium! No data existed on subject, faced numerous challenges as they engineered what is beli...

Nuclear confrontation between the United States and the former Soviet Union is less likely now that political tensions have eased and a large portion of their nuclear arsenals are being dismantled. However, negative ramifications of dismantlement have raised the specter of nuclear proliferation in a new and dangerous arena: nuclear terrorism. As a result of warhead dismantlement, stockpiles of ...

Plutonium and uranium isotopes decay by alpha particle emission. The alpha particle is absorbed by the nuclei of the low atomic number elements (Li, B, Be, O, F, C, Si, etc.) and a neutron is produced. The yield depends upon the chemical composition of the matrix and the alpha production rate for plutonium and uranium. Neutrons from (α,n) reactions are produced randomly (not time-correlated) an...

In the paper the results of 241Pu activity concentration determination in the biggest Polish rivers are presented. The analysis of more than 100 river water samples showed the Vistula and the Odra as well as three Pomeranian Rivers are important sources of 241Pu in the southern Baltic Sea. There were differences in 241Pu activities depending on season and sampling site and the plutonium contami...

The aim of this work is to present the method for sequential plutonium and americium activity determination in air filters using chromatographic radionuclide separation and alpha spectrometry measurement. The developed method may be employed for the purposes of workplace monitoring and as an indicator of the need of introducing the individual monitoring as well as a useful complementation of in...