In Vitro Dissolution Tests of Plutonium and Americium Containing Contamination Originating From ZPPR Fuel Plates

Bauer, William F. ; Schuetz, Brian K. ; Huestis, Gary M. ; Lints, Thomas B. ; Harris, Brian K. ; Ball, R. Duane ; Elias, Gracy

Idaho National Laboratory

关键词: Americium;    Dissolution Study;    Plutonium;    Simulated Biological Fluid;    38 Radiation Chemistry, Radiochemistry, And Nuclear Chemistry Americium;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1055994
RP-ID  :  INL/EXT-12-27244
RP-ID  :  DE-AC07-05ID14517
RP-ID  :  1055994

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Assessing the extent of internal dose is of concern whenever workers are exposed to airborne radionuclides or other contaminants. Internal dose determinations depend upon a reasonable estimate of the expected biological half-life of the contaminants in the respiratory tract. One issue with refractory elements is determining the dissolution rate of the element. Actinides such as plutonium (Pu) and Americium (Am) tend to be very refractory and can have biological half-lives of tens of years. In the event of an exposure, the dissolution rates of the radionuclides of interest needs to be assessed in order to assign the proper internal dose estimates. During the November 2011 incident at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) involving a ZPPR fuel plate, air filters in a constant air monitor (CAM) and a giraffe filter apparatus captured airborne particulate matter. These filters were used in dissolution rate experiments to determine the apparent dissolution half-life of Pu and Am in simulated biological fluids. This report describes these experiments and the results. The dissolution rates were found to follow a three term exponential decay equation. Differences were noted depending upon the nature of the biological fluid simulant. Overall, greater than 95% of the Pu and 93% of the Am were in a very slow dissolving component with dissolution half-lives of over 10 years.