Re: Po-210: A Byproduct Material?

[David Abbott <abbott@washops.llnl.gov>]

At 11:42 AM 5/1/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Good morning Radsafers,
snip
>Po-210 is a daughter of Bi-210. Bi-210 is a product of Bi-209(n,gamma).
>Bi-209 is a 100% abundant stable isotope. 
>
>My question: Where does Bi-209 come from? In other words, what component
>of a reactor, or reactor fuel contains Bi-209 that would ultimately lead
>to the production of Po-210?
>
snip
>Best regards,
>Erik
>
The bismuth comes from the "bismuth slug", or target, intentionally placed
in the reactor specifically for polonium production.  The AEC used to do
the irradiations at Hanford.  The slugs were then shipped to Mound
Laboratory, where the polonium was extracted and fabricated into initiators
for the early weapons program.  
>--
>Erik F. Shores
>ESH-12 Radiological Engineering
>Los Alamos National Laboratory
>eshores@lanl.gov
>
David Abbott
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
abbott@washops.llnl.gov