Potential Signatures of Semi-volatile Compounds Associated With Nuclear Processing

Probasco, Kathleen M. ; Birnbaum, Jerome C. ; Maughan, A. D.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.)

关键词: Reprocessing;    Radiolysis;    Semi-Volatiles, Nuclear Processing, Nuclear Separations, Organophosphorus Compounds, Semivolatile Chemical Byproducts, Degradation Products;    Hydrolysis;    Actinides;   

DOI  :  10.2172/957378
RP-ID  :  PNNL-13922
RP-ID  :  AC05-76RL01830
RP-ID  :  957378

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Semi-volatile chemicals associated with nuclear processes (e.g., the reprocessing of uranium to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, or the separation of actinides from processing waste streams), can provide sticky residues or signatures that will attach to piping, ducting, soil, water, or other surface media. Volatile compounds, that are more suitable for electro-optical sensing, have been well studied. However, the semi-volatile compounds have not been well documented or studied. A majority of these semi-volatile chemicals are more robust than typical gaseous or liquid chemicals and can have lifetimes of several weeks, months, or years in the environment. However, large data gaps exist concerning these potential signature compounds and more research is needed to fill these data gaps so that important signature information is not overlooked or discarded. This report investigates key semi-volatile compounds associated with nuclear separations, identifies available chemical and physical properties, and discusses the degradation products that would result from hydrolysis, radiolysis and oxidation reactions on these compounds.