RE: DU -- FYI

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Fri, 14 May 1999, Heinmiller, Bruce wrote:
        > 
> For example, the statement that DU is much less radioactive than Unat.  The
> U-235 chain is unimportant in the context of activity of either Unat or DU,
> so Unat comprises principally four nuclides (unless it's exceedingly fresh)
> of nominally equal activity, and DU comprises the same activity of the first
> three of these (unless it's exceedingly fresh), plus a small quantity of the
> remaining U-234.  If you looked at both Unat and DU with a G-M pancake
> detector you'd be hard-pressed to differentiate between the two, because
> almost everything you're seeing is the same Pa-234m in each case.  With
> regard to doses from potential intakes, the activity of alpha emitters (the
> uranium isotopes) in DU is nominally half that of the same mass of Unat.

	--Natural uranium contains Th-230, Ra-226, Rn-222, Po-218, Po-214,
and Pb-210, all alpha emitters, not to mention lots of beta and gamma
emitters (eg Bi-214, Pb-214), which would be absent in DU.





Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu



************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html