Re: Kr-85

[Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 09:39 04.12.1996 -0600, you wrote:
>Radsafers:
>Reading a report from a company that produces specialty gases (e.g., Kr from
>the atmosphere via a cryogenic method), they are convinced that they have a
>rad problem with Kr-85.  I do not know the basis for their concern. Has
>anyone ever heard of a similar situation.
>---------------------------------------------------------

Joe,

Kr-85 is present in the air at a concentration which is - at least it was
some years ago - about 1 Bq/m3. It originates from spent fuel and is
released during reprocessing. Various methods to remove it from the gaseous
effluents are known, but as far as I know, no removal is done in the
existing reprocessing plants. It is a pure beta emitter, the energy is
similar to C-14 (sorry I am at home and do not have any tables at hand). 

Since Kr-85 is a low energy beta emitter I cannot imagine any radiation
protection concern, because the pipes and steel tanks will act as a perfect
shielding. Nevertheless the specific activity is rather low.

Franz
Schoenhofer
Habichergasse 31/7
A-1160 WIEN
AUSTRIA/EUROPE
Tel./Fax:	+43-1-4955308
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e-mail:		schoenho@via.at