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|  Radiological Safety Training for Plutonium Facilities
DOEHDBK11452001
Instructor's Guide
IV. External and Internal Hazards
A. External exposure hazards
Obj. 4
Identify the radiological
hazards of plutonium.
1. Alpha radiation
Alpha radiation is not an external dose concern
because it will not penetrate the dead layer of
skin. Alpha radiation is primarily a concern if it
is introduced inside the body.
Show OT 15.
2. Gamma and x-ray radiation
All plutonium nuclides emit large quantities of
17-20 keV
low-energy x-rays, and the "in growth" of
60 keV
Am-241 emits higher-energy gamma rays.
These contribute to external exposure and
especially extremity exposure.
Show OT 16.
3. Neutron radiation
Several plutonium nuclides emit neutron
radiation through spontaneous fission
(notably from Pu-238, Pu-240, and Pu-242).
The rate at which these neutrons are
emitted is different with different nuclides of
the plutonium.
Define an alpha-neutron
Neutron radiation is also produced by an
reaction
alpha-neutron reaction. When alpha
particles interact with the nucleus of an atom
of a lighter element (such as beryllium or
lithium), the nucleus is left in an excited
state. To return to the ground state, the
atom emits a neutron with an energy of
about 2.5 MeV.
Show OT 17.
An alpha particle emitted by a plutonium
atom may penetrate the nucleus of a fluorine
PuO2 is the most common
atom in the compound PuF4. The excited
nucleus decays by emitting a neutron. The
chemical compound of Pu.
PuF4 is an intermediate
neutron yield and energy of the alpha-
compound in the fuel cycle.
neutron reaction are dependent on the alpha
energy and the material.
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