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Re: Estimation of the activity of uranyl nitrate



I would expect: 
betas from Pa-234m; 
gamma dose rate about 2 to 10% of the beta dose rate;
major radionucludes: U-238 and Pa-234m;
U-235/U-238 probably 0.7% or less;
no detectable amounts of other decay products.

mike (mcnaught@lanl.gov)

At 11:28 AM 2/26/01 -0600, you wrote:
>One of our pathology laboratories had held some few tens of grams of uranyl
>nitrate
>When a beta-gamma contamination monitor is held near it, some radiations
>are detected, however a GM gamma probe shows no significant reading at all.
>Would there be any U235 or U238 ? Ra226 ? Po218 ? Po214
>What isotopes could possibly be left in the vial if this vial have already
>been stored for more than ten years long? 
>What proportions of isotopes are there and what proportions of beta or
>gamma emissions could be found too?

Mike McNaughton
Los Alamos National Lab.
email: mcnaught@LANL.gov or mcnaughton@LANL.gov
phone: (505)667-6130
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