[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
RE: Is Pu fissile?
Al,
I suspect that much of your confusion stems from the imprecise use of
"fissile" when referring to nuclides that can be split by neutrons. Although
technically incorrect, the terms "fissionable" and "fissile" have been used
interchangeably for a long time. In the currently accepted usage (at least
in the US <g>), a "fissionable" isotope is one that is capable of being
split by neutrons (the neutron's energy is not considered) - so all isotopes
of Pu are fissionable. "Fissile" isotopes require thermal neutrons to
initiate the fission reaction, so Pu-239 is fissile but Pu-240 is not.
"Fissible" isotopes require fast neutrons to initiate the fission reaction,
so Pu-240 is fissible but Pu-239 is not.
Hope that clears it up a little,
Gary Damschen
damschenga@mkf.ornl.gov
HP Training Manager
MK-Ferguson of Oak Ridge
Usual disclaimers apply...
>----------
>From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu[SMTP:radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu]
>Sent: Friday, January 24, 1997 7:03 AM
>To: Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: RADSAFE digest 1238
>
>Contents:
>HPS Summer Meeting (David Biela <bielad@wv.doe.gov>)
>Re: natural radioactivity in motor oil? (Andrew Karam <karam.1@osu.edu>)
> Re: HPS Summer Meeting ("Wesley M. Dunn"
><WDUNN@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us>)
>rf,elf,vlf (Srebro Rafi <srebro@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>)
>Re: Japan to switch to MOX? (BRZGV@ccmail.ceco.com)
>Re: Old Activity Units? ("Mike Bohan" <mike.bohan@yale.edu>)
>Tritium Bromide ("Smalts, Earl RSO" <ssdehs@msmail.ttuhsc.edu>)
>Orphaned 3M Cs-137 tubes an ("Mike Bohan" <mike.bohan@yale.edu>)
>Ion Chamber Calibration (Larry_R_Sanders_at_~BMI4@battelle.org)
>Re: Ion Chamber Calibration (Judd Sills <sillsj@GAT.COM>)
>Re: Dating of Water via Tritium Determination (Schoenhofer
><schoenho@via.at>)
>Ion Chamber Calibration (Larry_R_Sanders_at_~BMI4@battelle.org)
>Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX? (azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au)
>RADIATION AND THE PUBLIC - THANK YOU (moshe levita
><mlevita@netvision.net.il>)
>Re: internal doses monitoring in Nuclear Medicine (xat@inel.gov (Alden
>Tschaeche))
>Re: Japan to switch to MOX? (xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche))
>Re: Japan to switch to MOX? (xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche))
>Re: $2500 award (xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche))
>Re: natural radioactivity in motor oil? (xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche))
>Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX? (azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au)
>Re: Japan to switch to MOX? (xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche))
>Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX? (azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au)
>Stars born in radiation-filled tornado ("Sandy Perle"
><sandyfl@ix.netcom.com>)
>Procedures for shipping fissile material (Tony Hedges
><loui19@mail.dreamscape.com>)
>Re: internal doses monitoring in Nuclear Medicine (Ccja@aol.com)
>Searching for Jim Williams (Arminc01@aol.com)
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 97 07:23:52 -0500
>From: David Biela <bielad@wv.doe.gov>
>Subject: HPS Summer Meeting
>
>Does anyone know the name of the hotel where the summer HPS meeting in San
>Antonio is being held at.
>
>BielaD@wv.doe.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 08:07:47 -0500 (EST)
>From: Andrew Karam <karam.1@osu.edu>
>Subject: Re: natural radioactivity in motor oil?
>
>I finally had a chance to scan my copy of the USGS Bulletin. U content of
>crude oil varies quite a bit (up to a few ppm) depending on the
>geochemistry
>of the formation in which the oil was found. In addition, studies done on
>three distillation fractions and the residual material from one location
>showed over 98% of the U to remain in the residuum.
>
>I am not sure which fraction constitutes motor oil, but it seems that, if
>motor oil is generated by fractional distillation of crude oil, it should
>contain very little U.
>Other metals showed the same characteristics, with an average of 98% of
>metals found in the ash.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Andy
>
>
>Andrew Karam, CHP (karam.1@osu.edu)
>Office of Radiation Safety
>The Ohio State University
>1314 Kinnear Road
>Columbus, OH 43212
>
>Phone: (614) 292-1284 Fax: (614) 292-6404 Alt fax: 292-7002
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 07:28:07 -0600 (CST)
>From: "Wesley M. Dunn" <WDUNN@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us>
>Subject: Re: HPS Summer Meeting
>
>My understanding is that it will be at the Marriott River Center (210-
>223-1000; 800-228-9290)
>
>Wes
>
>> Date sent: Thu, 23 Jan 97 06:25:42 -0600
>> Send reply to: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>> From: David Biela <bielad@wv.doe.gov>
>> To: Multiple recipients of list
><radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
>> Subject: HPS Summer Meeting
>
>> Does anyone know the name of the hotel where the summer HPS meeting in
>San
>> Antonio is being held at.
>>
>> BielaD@wv.doe.gov
>>
>*********************************************************************
>Wesley M. Dunn, CHP 512-834-6688
>Deputy Director, Licensing 512-834-6690 (fax)
>(Texas) Bureau of Radiation Control wdunn@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us
>*********************************************************************
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:37:04 +0200
>From: Srebro Rafi <srebro@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>
>Subject: rf,elf,vlf
>
>Hi
>
> I'm looking for a company in USA that can mesure Rf,Elf
>Vlf etc'.
>
> Thanks
> RAfi Srebro
>
>[**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**]
>[Rafi Srebro Ben-Gurion University P.O.B 653 ]
>[Beer-Sheva ISRAEL 84105. Fax 97276472955 ]
>[Tel 97276461314,97276472171.Home: srebro@netvision.net.il ]
>[ University : srebro@bgumail.bgu.ac.il ]
>[**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**-**]
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 97 08:33:33 CST
>From: BRZGV@ccmail.ceco.com
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
> Wasn't there some deal or talk of some deal that Japan would by stocks
>
> of Pu from the U.S. a couple of years ago?
>
> Glen Vickers
> brzgv@ccmail.ceco.com
>
>
>______________________________ Reply Separator
>_________________________________
>Subject: Japan to switch to MOX?
>Author: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at INTERNET
>Date: 1/22/97 7:35 PM
>
>
>*** Japan mulls new atomic fuel but faces resistance
>
>Despite growing public concern about the use of nuclear power, the
>Japanese government is exploring harnessing the atom to meet its huge
>appetite for energy. A report issued by a government panel this week
>urged the nuclear industry to use plutonium mixed with uranium as a
>new fuel in commercial reactors. But industry sources say the
>government will face a tough task convincing a skeptical public of the
>merits of the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, after a major oil spill stoked
>controversy over the nation's ambitious nuclear program. For the full
>story, see http://www.merc.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=1208803-116
>
>Erik C. Nielsen
>The assignment of responsibility must be accompanied by accountability and
>authority.
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: 23 Jan 1997 11:11:00 -0500
>From: "Mike Bohan" <mike.bohan@yale.edu>
>Subject: Re: Old Activity Units?
>
> Reply to: RE>Old Activity Units?
>
>Hi All,
>
>I would put my vote in for mCi, because if the activity was in uCi the C-14
>source would have been calibrated as 317.5 dpm. If the source were in mCi
>units then the calibration would be 317,460 dpm. If the source was
>calibrated
>in uCi, I wouldn't think it was much of a calibration standard as the
>counting
>statistics even for a LSC would be too small, however as a mCi source it
>would
>be in the right range.
>
>The easiest way to find out would to be to test it. If they are disc type
>sources, count them with a thin end window GM. My pancake GM (HP-210L,
>ESP-1)
>has the following efficiencies with a source to window distance of ~0.75
>cm:
>Bi-210 (30%), C-14 (2.2%), Pa-234 (16.8%). Of course, your mileage may
>vary,
>but it will give you a ballpark number to use for a quick evaluation.
>
>Of course, if it were MegaCuries!!!, it would blow your GM away!!!! =%^)
>
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
><
>Michael J. Bohan, RSO | e-mail: mike.bohan@yale.edu
>Yale-New Haven Hospital | Tele: (203) 785-2950
>Radiological Physics | FAX: (203) 737-4252
>20 York St. - WWW 204 | As usual, everything I say may be plausibly
>New Haven, CT 06504 | denied at my employer's convenience ...
>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
>>
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------
>Date: 22/01/97 2:26 PM
>To: Mike Bohan
>From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
>
>Howdy,
>
>We recently "found" an old set of beta reference sources with activity
>units which I do not quite understand. The date on the set is
>November 1958. The set contains:
>
> Bi-210 1.07 X 10^-5 MC
>
> C-14 14.3 X 10^-5 MC
>
> Pa-234 1.00 X 10^-5 MC
>
>Any help identifying these units would be greatly appreciated. Please
>reply to me directly.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tracy
>
>====================================================================
>Tracy N. Tipping Work: (913) 532-2668
>Laboratory Safety Officer FAX: (913) 532-6806
>James R. Macdonald Laboratory Home: (913) 539-1378
>116 Cardwell Hall Amateur Radio: N0OEY
>Kansas State University tipping@phys.ksu.edu
>Manhattan, KS 66506-2604 http://www.phys.ksu.edu/~tipping
>====================================================================
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 97 12:01:00 PST
>From: "Smalts, Earl RSO" <ssdehs@msmail.ttuhsc.edu>
>Subject: Tritium Bromide
>
>
>
>
>A researcher at my facility is considering using a tritium bromide stock
>tracer in her research. I can deal with the H-3 aspect, but the bromide
>"mixed waste" component is another matter. The bulk of the waste will be
>in
>aqueous liquid form, which we have approval to dispose of bulk liquid
>containing RAM under certain isotopic concentration levels down the
>sanatary
>sewer. But, taking into consideration the Bromide( 0.1 ml / 2.5 gal.
>container ), I am a little vary of doing this. Has anyone had to face this
>
>particular issue in the past. Please E-mail me directly with any thoughts
>or suggestions. Thanks again Rad-Safers.
>
>
>Earl Smalts, RSO
>Texas State Univ. Health Sci. Center
>ssdehs@ttuhsc.edu
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: 23 Jan 1997 12:07:46 -0500
>From: "Mike Bohan" <mike.bohan@yale.edu>
>Subject: Orphaned 3M Cs-137 tubes an
>
>Hello Everyone:
>
>One of our clinicians asked me to see if anyone has discontinued using
>their
>3M Cs-137 tubes and Fletcher-Suit applicators in favor of HDR or other
>methods.
>
>A Venezuelan University/Hospital, affiliated with Yale Medical School's
>Radiation Therapy Department is in need of more applicators and sources.
>(We
>have a few extra sources that we are going to donate.) If you have any
>unused
>sources and/or applicators that you wish to get rid of, we would be happy
>to
>see they are sent to a new home where they will be taken care of and put to
>good use.
>
>If you wish to donate them, please contact me by private e-mail so we don't
>clutter up the list. Our clinician said that he would be able to provide
>funding for shipping costs and provide a receipt for tax deduction
>purposes,
>if desired.
>
>Thank for your consideration and understanding in this matter.
>
>
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
>Michael J. Bohan, RSO | e-mail: mike.bohan@yale.edu
>Yale-New Haven Hospital | Tele: (203) 785-2950
>Radiological Physics | FAX: (203) 737-4252
>20 York St. - WWW 204 | As usual, everything I say may be plausibly
>New Haven, CT 06504 | denied at my employer's convenience ...
>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 13:56:22 -0500 (EST)
>From: Larry_R_Sanders_at_~BMI4@battelle.org
>Subject: Ion Chamber Calibration
>
>
> I am posting this to RADSAFE for an individual who does not have
> access.
>
> We are looking for a Sr-90 source jig to calibrate and response test
> RO-20 or equivalent ion chambers. The source must be strong enough to
> test all scales. If anyone has one, we would be interested in
> purchasing it at a reasonable price. Please indicate so by responding
> to my E-Mail address and not to RADSAFE.
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 11:38:33 -0800
>From: Judd Sills <sillsj@GAT.COM>
>Subject: Re: Ion Chamber Calibration
>
>At 01:12 PM 1/23/97 -0600, you wrote:
>>
>> I am posting this to RADSAFE for an individual who does not have
>> access.
>>
>> We are looking for a Sr-90 source jig to calibrate and response test
>
>> RO-20 or equivalent ion chambers. The source must be strong enough to
>
>> test all scales. If anyone has one, we would be interested in
>> purchasing it at a reasonable price. Please indicate so by responding
>
>> to my E-Mail address and not to RADSAFE.
>>
>>
>Isotope Products Laboratories, 818-843-7000, makes an ion chamber check
>source
>assembly (SK-619) for response checking RO-2s and RO-2As using a 1.5 mCi
>source.
>I am sure that this would also work with the newer Eberline Ion Chamber,
>the
>RO-20
>that you reference in your note. You could probably get them to provide
>sufficient pedigree to use the source jig for calibration purposes, though
>its principal intent is for response checking. We use this assembly for
>daily operational testing at my facility and have found them to very good
>products, and avoid the headaches of having to use large shielded Cs-137
>irradiators for such purposes. The cost is also very reasonable. A
>contact
>at IPL that I have worked with in the past is Keith Ho.
>
>I also know that these types of jigs have been crafted by some utility
>calibration
>labs to suit their specific desires, again as response check assemblies
>only.
>
>Best regards
>Judd M. Sills, CHP | Office: (619)455-2049
>General Atomics, Room 01-166C| Fax: (619)455-3181
>3550 General Atomics Court | E-Mail: sillsj@gat.com
>San Diego, CA 92121 |
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 21:58:01 +0100 (MET)
>From: Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>
>Subject: Re: Dating of Water via Tritium Determination
>
>At 02:00 22.01.1997 -0600, you wrote:
>>Dating of water via tritium determination is normally done by enrichment
>of
>>tritium in the sample, that is by the use of electrolysis. There are only
>a
>>few laboratories in the country that can do this. These include the EPA
>>laboratory in Las Vegas, Lawrence Livermore, the Desert Research Institute
>in
>>Nevada and a few more. It is not a precise method but can be used mainly
>to
>>determine if water has mixed with surface water or was derived from
>surface
>>water in the last few decades. While at EPA a few years ago, I was
>curious
>>about the tritium content of well-known mineral waters such as Evian and
>>Perrier, and found that both had detectable tritium, meaning that the
>water
>>had been to the surface in recent times.
>>
>> Robert
>Holloway
>> Nevada
>Technical
>>Associates, Inc.
>>
>>____________________________________________________________________
>
>
>Dating of water cannot be done "by enrichment of tritium in the sample".
>Only for achieving a very low lower limit of detection enrichment is used.
>The dating is a process which does not only involve measurement of tritium,
>but has to consider many other hydrogeological parameters. I am sure, that
>quite a lot of competent laboratories exist in the USA, not only a few.
>There are other means to date ground waters, like C-14 concentration,
>O-18/O-16 ratios, even noble gases like Kr-85.
>
>To detect mixing with surface water and precipitation in recent time, one
>uses the occurrance of nitrate and pesticides in ground water - depending
>on
>the hydrogeological parameters of the aquifer in question and the
>environment, for instance whether there is a farmland region. This will of
>course not work in areas, where no farming occurs.
>
>If I remember correctly hydrocarbons were found a few years ago in Perrier
>-
>or it might have been another famous brand of French mineral water. This
>confirmed that adfluence of surface water might have been occurred.
>
>My personal opinion is that it is one of these incredible nonsenses, to
>import so called mineral water from overseas, even though a good supply of
>acceptable water is in reach. I still remember how much I enjoyed a few
>years ago an ice-cold bottle of "rock water" in Phoenix Arizona from a
>local
>supply.
>
>Franz
>
>What is a yuppie? - It is a person, whose body consists of 90% Perrier.
>Schoenhofer
>Habichergasse 31/7
>A-1160 WIEN
>AUSTRIA/EUROPE
>Tel./Fax: +43-1-4955308
>Tel.: +43-664-3380333
>e-mail: schoenho@via.at
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:21:24 -0500 (EST)
>From: Larry_R_Sanders_at_~BMI4@battelle.org
>Subject: Ion Chamber Calibration
>
>
> >I am posting this to RADSAFE for an individual who does not have >
>
> >access.
>
> >We are looking for a Sr-90 source jig to calibrate and response
> >test
> >RO-20 or equivalent ion chambers. The source must be strong enough to
>
> >test all scales. If anyone has one, we would be interested in
> >purchasing it at a reasonable price. Please indicate so by responding
>
> >to my E-Mail address and not to RADSAFE.
>
> I apologize for not posting my E-Mail address. My relationship with
> RADSAFE is normally of a passive nature and as such,I was unaware the
> address was not posted with the message. This will be noted in future
> correspondence.
>
> Larry R. Sanders
> Radiation Technical Support
> Battelle Memorial Institute
> Larry_R_Sanders_at_~BMI4@battelle.org
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 97 08:50:40 EST
>From: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Subject: Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>Japan have quite a stockpile of their own Pu which is becoming a real issue
>for
>them. Holding all that nasty stuff is making them nervous. They are
>considering
>burning it in their reactors as mox. I doubt that they would want to buy
>any
>more Pu!!
>
>Regards
>
>Alex Zapantis
>Environmental Radiation Officer
>Office of the Supervising Scientist
>40 Blackall Street
>Barton ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA
>
>Email: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Fax : (int+) 61 6 274 1519
>Phone: (int+) 61 6 274 1642
>
>The Office of the Supervising Scientist is a Branch of the
> Federal Environment Protection Group
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 97 00:46:40 PST
>From: moshe levita <mlevita@netvision.net.il>
>Subject: RADIATION AND THE PUBLIC - THANK YOU
>
>
>Dear Radsafers,
>
>I would like to thank all colleagues who responded to my request. I
>received many answers most of them referring me to either IAEA,NRPB
>or some other web sites.
>
>It seems that we will have to 'process' a lot of material in order to
>prepare our pamphlet.
>
>Thanks again,
>
>Moshe Levita
>Ministry of Health
>Israel
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:08:10 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: internal doses monitoring in Nuclear Medicine
>
>Wes Van Pelt wrote:
> Tc-99m is almost non-toxic.
>
>This brings up a question. Is the stable Ruthenium-99 that is the thing
>to which Tc-99 decays also non-toxic? It seems that we just think about
>the radiotoxicity of the things that are injected, but not about the
>elements to which they decay. I suspect the answer is: yes, Ru-99 is
>non-toxic. But I have never seen the question asked, let alone
>answered. Does anyone out there know about the biochemistry of
>rhuthenium? Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:17:18 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>Erik C. Nielsen wrote:
>>
>> *** Japan mulls new atomic fuel but faces resistance
>
>One statement in the original article is:
>"Nuclear industry sources said public concern would hamper any effort to
>adopt the new plutonium-based fuel. Plutonium is currently not used as a
>fuel in Japanese nuclear plans."
>
>Somehow we must get the idea that plutonium does not exist in
>currently-operating nuclear power plants. A significant fraction of the
>power generated in such plants comes from the fission of plutonium that
>has been produced in the fuel over time. So, in fact, we have
>MOX-powered civilian nuclear power plants all over the globe right now.
>Of course, public knowledge of that fact might make more problems for us
>than it solves. What do y'all think? Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:20:31 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>Erik C. Nielsen wrote:
> For the full
>> story, see http://www.merc.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=1208803-116
>
>Another statement in the full story is: "Japan had about 4.7 tonnes of
>plutonium at the end of 1993, of which some 3.4 tonnes are likely to be
>fissile, according to latest government figures available."
>
>I was told that ALL isotopes of plutonium are fissile. Is that not
>true? Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:29:36 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: $2500 award
>
>H.Wade Patterson wrote:
> In every case the OE ratio is significantly less for the
>> 2001-5310 range than for the lesser elevations.
>
>Does anyone remember another study published in the 1960s (1964 sticks
>in my mind) where either the overall cancer incidence or the mortality
>rate (I forget which) was compared with the average annual radiation
>dose on a state-by-state basis (USA)? Some 35-40 confounding factors
>were examined. The conclusion was that the cancer rate in states with
>higher annual doses was lower than the rate in states where the dose was
>higher and only radiation could be the cause of that. Al Tschaeche
>xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:35:03 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: natural radioactivity in motor oil?
>
>Andrew Karam wrote:
> In addition, studies done on
>> three distillation fractions and the residual material from one location
>> showed over 98% of the U to remain in the residuum.
>
>So, does that mean the refineries have a NORM problem with the residui
>(residuums)? What do they do with that material? Al Tschaeche
>xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 97 10:42:44 EST
>From: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Subject: Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>Correct, ie that is NOT true. Pu-239 and 241 are fissile. Pu-238 is not.
>I'm not
>sure about the other Pu isotopes but I suspect that they are also not
>fissile.
>Can anybody give a definitive answer?
>____________________________________________________________________________
>___
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at mgdestmx01
>Date: 23/1/97 5:21 PM
>
>Erik C. Nielsen wrote:
> For the full
>> story, see http://www.merc.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=1208803-116
>
>Another statement in the full story is: "Japan had about 4.7 tonnes of
>plutonium at the end of 1993, of which some 3.4 tonnes are likely to be
>fissile, according to latest government figures available."
>
>I was told that ALL isotopes of plutonium are fissile. Is that not
>true? Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>Alex Zapantis
>Environmental Radiation Officer
>Office of the Supervising Scientist
>40 Blackall Street
>Barton ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA
>
>Email: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Fax : (int+) 61 6 274 1519
>Phone: (int+) 61 6 274 1642
>
>The Office of the Supervising Scientist is a Branch of the
> Federal Environment Protection Group
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 17:36:15 -0700
>From: xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au wrote:
> Holding all that nasty stuff is making them nervous.
>
>I wonder why plutonium is called "nasty stuff?" That seems to imply
>there is something "bad" about plutonium. But we know how to handle it
>safely. It seems to me that especially rad-safers should not continue
>to foster the idea that there is something especially bad about
>plutonium. I do not mean to set forth an ad hominem attack by this
>statement. Just to support the idea that we, because we know plutonium
>can be handled safely, should, in the literature, speak of plutonium
>more kindly than most others might. Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 97 12:03:01 EST
>From: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Subject: Re[2]: Japan to switch to MOX?
>
>Point taken.
>____________________________________________________________________________
>___
>Subject: Re: Japan to switch to MOX?
>From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at mgdestmx01
>Date: 23/1/97 6:39 PM
>
>azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au wrote:
> Holding all that nasty stuff is making them nervous.
>
>I wonder why plutonium is called "nasty stuff?" That seems to imply
>there is something "bad" about plutonium. But we know how to handle it
>safely. It seems to me that especially rad-safers should not continue
>to foster the idea that there is something especially bad about
>plutonium. I do not mean to set forth an ad hominem attack by this
>statement. Just to support the idea that we, because we know plutonium
>can be handled safely, should, in the literature, speak of plutonium
>more kindly than most others might. Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>Alex Zapantis
>Environmental Radiation Officer
>Office of the Supervising Scientist
>40 Blackall Street
>Barton ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA
>
>Email: azapantis@mgdestmx01.erin.gov.au
>Fax : (int+) 61 6 274 1519
>Phone: (int+) 61 6 274 1642
>
>The Office of the Supervising Scientist is a Branch of the
> Federal Environment Protection Group
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 18:42:48 -0800
>From: "Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@ix.netcom.com>
>Subject: Stars born in radiation-filled tornado
>
>This interesting article was pulled from reuters News Service.
>---------------
> LONDON - New stars are being born in
>radiation-filled tornados that are whirling through space,
>astronomers said Thursday.
> The discovery was made in the heart of Lagoon Nebula, 5,000
>light years away in the Sagittarius constellation, by a team of
>British, Canadian, Swedish and German astronomers.
> ``The pictures show an object like a tornado. Stars recently born
>there are causing the material to be disturbed, producing the vortex
>structure,'' said British astronomer Glenn White.
> The astronomers said in a statement that this newly
>discovered stellar ``factory'' is heated by radiation from the
>newly formed stars.
> ``It's rather like a naked-eye astronomer, who previously
>only was aware of the bright sun and the much fainter stars,
>suddenly noticing something in the sky as bright as the moon,''
>they said.
> The discovery was made possible by a powerful new radio
>telescope in Hawaii which picked up wavelength radiation from
>the nebula.
>
>Sandy Perle
>Technical Director
>ICN Dosimetry Division
>Office: (800) 548-5100 Ext. 2306
>Fax: (714) 668-3149
>
>E-Mail: sandyfl@ix.netcom.com
>
>Personal Homepages:
>
>http://www.netcom.com/~sandyfl/home.html
>http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 21:54:01 -0500 (EST)
>From: Tony Hedges <loui19@mail.dreamscape.com>
>Subject: Procedures for shipping fissile material
>
>RADSAFERs,
> The Rad Waste Shipping Foreman at my power plant has a few questions on
>shipping fissile material. If anyone is interested in answering a couple
>of
>questions please e-mail me your phone number and I'll pass it along.
>Thanks
>
>
> _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
> _/ _/
> _/ Tony Hedges _/
> _/ RPT Instructor _/
> _/ loui19@dreamscape.com _/
> _/ _/
>_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 02:06:21 -0500 (EST)
>From: Ccja@aol.com
>Subject: Re: internal doses monitoring in Nuclear Medicine
>
>This is only a sideways answer, but, bear in mind that we're "starting"
>with
>Mo99 as the parent, with a <3 day halflife. Metastable Tc99 has a physical
>halflife of 6h. The "true" daughter, Tc99, has a halflife of 10E5y. (I hope
>that exponent is right.) There is no time for ingrowth, so that any amount
>of
>Ru99 could be present in the body, chemotoxic or not. One imagines that the
>FDA, and IRB's approving IND Phase I studies, do take account of this
>issue,
>when considering new radionuclides for use in pharmaceuticals.
>
>What I'd like to know is if toxicity studies, of the kind Al's asking
>about,
>and associated pathway analyses, are done for reactor waste. Since the
>reactor is continuously producing Mo99, for extended intervals of time,
>there
>is time for ingrowth of Tc99 (in fact, I thought that it, and I129, were
>among the longlived products of chief interest). So, millenia down the
>pike,
>there will be Ru99 in the waste. Will it go anywhere, and if so, how fast,
>and what would happen to someone who ingested/inhaled it? Maybe someone far
>more knowledgeable than I (Gene Carbaugh?) will favor us with an opinion.
>
>Chris Alston
>ccja@aol.com
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 06:44:27 -0500 (EST)
>From: Arminc01@aol.com
>Subject: Searching for Jim Williams
>
>Sorry for posting to the entire list.
>
>I am searching for Jim Williams formerly with US Ecology.
>
>Any help would be appreciated.
>
>Charles Smith
>arminc01@aol.com
>
>------------------------------
>End of Digest
>************************
>