RE: How much plutonium?????

["Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe@ucdavis.edu>]

May 9, 2000
Davis, CA

Man-made plutonium and natural abundant thorium are chemically and
biologically similar. However, there is a big difference in specific
activity so that it takes a larger mass of thorium to equal the
radioactivity of a small amount of plutonium. This is a factor in making
plutonium more difficult to manage safely.

Otto
	*****************************************************
	Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
	Institute of Toxicology & Environmental Health (ITEH)
	(Street Address: Bldg. 3792, Old Davis Road)
	University of California, Davis, CA 95616
	E-Mail: ograabe@ucdavis.edu
	Phone:(530) 752-7754, FAX:(530) 758-6140
	*****************************************************
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