Re: Give Me You Opinion

[Scott D Kniffin <Scott.D.Kniffin.1@gsfc.nasa.gov>]

Mike, 

Yes the fluorine aspect is the problem for UF6.  I had a professor at U of
Maryland that inhaled some at Oak Ridge in his youth and his voice sounded
gravely and hoarse all the time from it.  Nasty corrosive stuff.  Rumor has
it that Teflon was invented/discovered/figured-out-to-be-excellent for
dealing with UF6 because it ate at the plumbing of the permeable membrane
gas separators in the early enrichment work.  Anyone out there know the
answer to this?  I've always wondered.  

Scott Kniffin

RSO Unisys Federal Systems, Lanham, MD
CHO Radiation Effects Facility, GSFC, NASA
mailto:Scott.D.Kniffin.1@gsfc.nasa.gov

The opinions expressed here are my own. They do not necessarily represent
the views of Unisys or NASA.  This material has not been reviewed by my
manager or NASA.  

At 10:19 01/27/99 -0600, you wrote:
>I agree with your response.  I do have a question about the UF6. Are you
>concerned about the fluorine aspect?  The specific activity of U238 is
>180,000 times less than Pu 239.  Assuming its all U235, then were talking
>28000 time lower SA.  The biological half lives are 9-15 DAYS for U and 200
>YEARS for Pu.  Inhaled U is not a major threat.
>
>Of course my own opinion.
>
>Mike Dempsey
>

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