Plutonium and other actinides

Microbial mobilization of plutonium and other actinides from contaminated soil.

We examined the dissolution of Pu, U, and Am in contaminated soil from the Nevada Test Site (NTS) due to indigenous microbial activity. Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) analysis of the soil showed that Pu was present in its polymeric form and associated with Fe- and Mn- oxides and aluminosilicates. Uranium analysis by x-ray diffraction (μ-XRD) revealed discrete U-containing mineral...

Rational design of sequestering agents for plutonium and other actinides.

Fertile Free Fuels for Plutonium and Minor Actinides Burning in LWRs

The feasibility of using various uranium-free fuels for plutonium incineration in present light water reactors is investigated. Two major categories of inert matrix fuels are studied: composite ceramic fuel particles dispersed in another ceramic matrix (CERCER) and ceramic fuel particles dispersed into a metallic matrix (CERMET). In the category of CERCER, the current world wide research effort...

Biotransformation of uranium and other actinides in radioactive wastes

Microorganisms affect the solubility, bioavailability, and mobility of actinides in radioactive wastes. Under appropriate conditions, actinides are solubilized or stabilized by the direct enzymatic or indirect nonenzymatic actions of microorganisms. Biotransformation of various forms of uranium (ionic, inorganic, and organic complexes) by aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms has been extensivel...

Comparative Assessment of the Transmutation Efficiency of Plutonium and Minor Actinides in Fusion/fission Hybrids and Ads

A preliminary comparative assessment relevant to the transmutation efficiency of plutonium and minor actinides has been performed in the case of ANSALDO’s Energy Amplifier Demonstration Facility based on molten lead-bismuth eutectic cooling, classical MOX-fuel technology and operating at 80 MWth. The neutronic calculations presented in this paper are a result of a state-of-the-art computer code...