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Radioactivity, Radiation, and the Chemistry of Nuclear Waste

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Nick Zevos

Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College at Potsdam, Potsdam, NY 13676

J. Chem. Educ., 2002, 79 (6), p 692

DOI: 10.1021/ed079p692

Publication Date (Web): June 1, 2002

Abstract

A chemistry course for nonmajors, which centers on the chemistry of nuclear waste, has as a prerequisite at least two semesters of general chemistry. The initial part of the course introduces a number of topics necessary to discuss the construction and operation of nuclear reactors. The focus is on isotope production, primarily, plutonium. In the second section, radiation chemistry is introduced, emphasizing the generation of primary radicals from the interaction of molecules with charged particles and the subsequent chemical reactions of these primary radicals. The final section of the course is devoted to the treatment of nuclear waste by vitrification and applications based on nuclear or radiation chemistry. Throughout, the course presents historical material related to nuclear sites operated by the U.S. government, particularly those that were involved in plutonium production. It deals with the high-level nuclear waste generated by the production process, the methods used to store the waste in the past, problems created by these methods, and some of the storage methods currently being considered for the future.

Keywords (Audience):

Second-Year Undergraduate

Keywords (Domain):

Environmental Chemistry

Keywords (Subject):

Aqueous Solution Chemistry

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

Identifying Students' Misconceptions about Nuclear Chemistry. A Study of Turkish High School Students
Berna Bülbül Tekin , Canan Nakiboglu
Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (11), 1712
- Identifying Students' Misconceptions about Nuclear Chemistry. A Study of Turkish High School Students
  Berna Bülbül Tekin , Canan Nakiboglu
  Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (11), 1712
  This study represents the first attempt to elucidate and detail the types of misconceptions high school students hold relating to basic concepts and topics of nuclear chemistry. A diagnostic multiple-choice test was administered to 157 tenth-grade ...
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