Actions for Transuranic contaminated waste functional definition and implementation [electronic resource].

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Transuranic contaminated waste functional definition and implementation [electronic resource].

Published
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy, 1980.
Physical Description
Pages: 157 : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators
United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
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Summary
The purpose of this report is to examine the problem(s) of TRU waste classification and to document the development of an easy-to-apply standard(s) to determine whether or not this waste package should be emplaced in a geologic repository for final disposition. Transuranic wastes are especially significant because they have long half-lives and some are rather radiotoxic. Transuranic radionuclides are primarily produced by single or multiple neutron capture by U-238 in fuel elements during the operation of a nuclear reactor. Reprocessing of spent fuel elements attempts to remove plutonium, but since the separation is not complete, the resulting high-activity liquids still contain some plutonium as well as other transuranics. Likewise, transuranic contamination of low-activity wastes also occurs when the transuranic materials are handled or processed, which is primarily at federal facilities involved in R and D and nuclear weapons production. Transuranics are persistent in the environment and, as a general rule, are strongly retained by soils. They are not easily transported through most food chains, although some reconcentration does take place in the aquatic food chain. They pose no special biological hazard to humans upon ingestion because they are weakly absorbed from the gastrointestional tract. A greater hazard results from inhalation since they behave like normal dust and fractionate accordingly.
Report Numbers
E 1.99:ucrl-15229
ucrl-15229
Subject(s)
Other Subject(s)
Note
Published through SciTech Connect.
03/01/1980.
"ucrl-15229"
Kniazewycz, B.G.
TERA Corp., Berkeley, CA (USA)
Funding Information
W-7405-ENG-48
View MARC record | catkey: 14420970