Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Americium-241 is an α-emitter with a weak γ-ray byproduct. Safely handling americium-241 requires knowing and following proper safety precautions, as without them it would be extremely dangerous. Its specific gamma dose constant is 3.14 × 10 −1 mR/hr/mCi or 8.48 × 10 −5 mSv/hr/MBq at 1 metre (3 ft 3 in). [27]
Americium is used in the most common type of household smoke detector, which uses 241 Am in the form of americium dioxide as its source of ionizing radiation. [101] This isotope is preferred over 226 Ra because it emits 5 times more alpha particles and relatively little harmful gamma radiation.
Americium-241 is the most common isotope of americium in nuclear waste. [8] It is the isotope used in an americium smoke detector based on an ionization chamber . It is a potential fuel for long-lifetime radioisotope thermoelectric generators .
Elements within TRU are typically man-made and are known to contain americium-241 and several isotopes of plutonium. [2] Because of the elements' longer half-lives, TRU is disposed of more cautiously than low level waste and intermediate level waste. In the U.S. it is a byproduct of weapons production, nuclear research and power production, and ...
The most important isotopes of these elements in spent nuclear fuel are neptunium-237, americium-241, americium-243, curium-242 through -248, and californium-249 through -252. Plutonium and the minor actinides will be responsible for the bulk of the radiotoxicity and heat generation of spent nuclear fuel in the long term (300 to 20,000 years in ...
One of four example estimates of the plutonium (Pu-239) plume from the 1957 fire at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. The Rocky Flats Plant, a former United States nuclear weapons production facility located about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Denver, caused radioactive (primarily plutonium, americium, and uranium) contamination within and outside its boundaries. [1]
New details about a study that warned against black plastic spatulas and other kitchen tools have come out. (Getty Creative) (Анатолий Тушенцов via Getty Images)
Americium-241 has been used as a source of low energy gamma photons, it has been used in some applications such as portable X-ray fluorescence equipment and common household ionizing smoke detectors. Americium-241 is produced from 239