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General Classification of “Hot” Particles from the Nearest Chernobyl Contaminated Areas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

S. I. Shabalev
Affiliation:
V. G. Khlopin Radium Institute, 28, 2nd-Murinskiy Ave., St. Petersburg, 194021, RUSSIAPhone/Fax: +7+812 346–1129, E-mail: [email protected]
B. E. Burakov
Affiliation:
V. G. Khlopin Radium Institute, 28, 2nd-Murinskiy Ave., St. Petersburg, 194021, RUSSIAPhone/Fax: +7+812 346–1129, E-mail: [email protected]
E. B. Anderson
Affiliation:
V. G. Khlopin Radium Institute, 28, 2nd-Murinskiy Ave., St. Petersburg, 194021, RUSSIAPhone/Fax: +7+812 346–1129, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The morphology and composition both chemical and radionuclide of the main types of the solid-phase “hot” particles formed following the accident on the Chernobyl NPP have been studied by SEM, electron microprobe and gamma-spectrometry methods. Differences in many isotopes including: 106Ru, 134Cs, 137Cs dependent upon the hot particle matrix chemical composition was observed. The classification of hot particles based upon the chemical composition of their matrices has been done. It includes three main types: 1) fuel particles with UOx matrix; 2) fuel-constructional particles with Zr-U-0 matrix, 3) hot particles with metallic inclusions of Fe-Cr-Ni. Moreover, there are more rare types of hot particles with silicate or metal matrices. It was shown that only metallic inclusions of Fe-Cr-Ni are concentrators of 106Ru, which caused this nuclides assimilation in the molten stainless steel during the initial stages of the accident. Soils contamination of non-radioactive lead oxide particles in the Chernobyl NPP region were noticed. It was supposed that part of metallic lead, dropped from helicopters into burning reactor during first days of accident, was evaporated and oxidized accompanying solid oxide particles formation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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