1981•Unpublished venueOpen access
Transuranics in a stream near a nuclear-fuel chemical separations plant
Robert W. Holloway, D.W. Hayes
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Abstract
The concentrations of plutonium, americium, and curium in a small stream that drains the chemical separations areas on the Savannah River Plant were determined. Typical concentrations for /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239/ /sup 240/Pu, /sup 241/Am, and /sup 244/Cm were 39, 9.5, 5.0, and 7.5 fCi/L, respectively. These concentrations are much lower than the maximum permissible concentrations in water of 30 nCi/L (US Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR-20). Less than half of all transuranic activity was associated with particles that were one micron or greater in diameter. The distribution coefficients for plutonium, americium, and curium were 2.9 x 10/sup 5/, 6.1 x 10/sup 5/, and 8.3 x 10/sup 5/, respectively. The plutonium distribution coefficient is similar to that measured in Lake Michigan.
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