Re: chemical question

["Ron L. Kathren" <rkathren@beta.tricity.wsu.edu>]

The thorium compound will be Th-232, which accounts for ~100% BY WEIGHT	
of natural thorium; on an activity basis, depending upon where the 
thorium was mined, it could have an appreciable fraction of the 230 
isotope which is associated with the decay of U-238 and cannot be 
chemically separated from Th-232.

The uranyl compound, if modern, are likely depleted uranium -- i.e. 0.2% 
U-235, and the rest U-238 (by weight).

Hope this helps.

Ron Kathren

On Wed, 26 Jul 1995, Alan Enns wrote:

> Radnetters:
> 
> I received a call from one of the chemical stores on campus regarding the 
> disposal of :
> 
> thorium nitrate  ~1 lb
> uranol (spelling?) nitrate   ~600 g
> uranol acetate  ~700 g
> 
> does anyone know which isotopes of uranium and thorium are in these 
> chemicals and what their specific activity is?
> 
> thanks in advance...
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------------------------
> Alan Enns
> Radiation Safety Assistant,
> Department of Health, Safety and Environment
> University of British Columbia,
> Canada.
> aenns@unixg.ubc.ca
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------------------------
> 
>