Plutonium in the environment: key factors related to impact assessment in case of an accidental atmospheric release

Philippe Guétat (1) , V. M. Moulin (2) , Pascal E. Reiller (2) , T. Vercouter (2) , L. Lionel Bion (2) , P. Fritsch (3) , M. Monfort (3) , A. Flury-Herard (4) , A. Comte (4) , F. Ménétrier (4) , Eric Ansoborlo (5) , F. Jourdain (2) , L. Boucher (2) , F. Vandorpe (2)

1 DAM/VALDUC - VALDUC
2 CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
3 DAM/DIF - DAM Île-de-France
4 CEA/DSV - CEA Direction des Sciences du Vivant
5 CEA Marcoule

This paper deals with plutonium and key factors related to impact assessment. It is based on recent work performed by CEA which summarize the main features of plutonium behaviour from sources inside installations to the environment and man, and to report current knowledge on the different parameters used in models for environmental and radiological impact assessment. These key factors are illustrated through a case study based on an accidental atmospheric release of Pu in a nuclear facility.

Keywords: Plutonium; Radiological impact; Airborne particles; Environment; MOX

Domains: Radiochemistry

Philippe Guétat, V. M. Moulin, Pascal E. Reiller, T. Vercouter, L. Lionel Bion, et al.. Plutonium in the environment: key factors related to impact assessment in case of an accidental atmospheric release. Radiochimica Acta, 2009, 97 (4-5), pp.257-260. ⟨10.1524/ract.2009.1607⟩. ⟨cea-01262581⟩