Physicochemical characterization of Capstone depleted uranium aerosols III: morphologic and chemical oxide analyses. 2009

Kenneth M Krupka, and Mary Ann Parkhurst, and Kenneth Gold, and Bruce W Arey, and Evan D Jenson, and Raymond A Guilmette
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA. ken.krupka@pnl.gov

The impact of depleted uranium (DU) penetrators against an armored target causes erosion and fragmentation of the penetrators, the extent of which is dependent on the thickness and material composition of the target. Vigorous oxidation of the DU particles and fragments creates an aerosol of DU oxide particles and DU particle agglomerations combined with target materials. Aerosols from the Capstone DU aerosol study, in which vehicles were perforated by DU penetrators, were evaluated for their oxidation states using x-ray diffraction (XRD), and particle morphologies were examined using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). The oxidation state of a DU aerosol is important as it offers a clue to its solubility in lung fluids. The XRD analysis showed that the aerosols evaluated were a combination primarily of U3O8 (insoluble) and UO3 (relatively more soluble) phases, though intermediate phases resembling U4O9 and other oxides were prominent in some samples. Analysis of particle residues in the micrometer-size range by SEM/EDS provided microstructural information such as phase composition and distribution, fracture morphology, size distribution, and material homogeneity. Observations from SEM analysis show a wide variability in the shapes of the DU particles. Some of the larger particles were spherical, occasionally with dendritic or lobed surface structures. Others appear to have fractures that perhaps resulted from abrasion and comminution, or shear bands that developed from plastic deformation of the DU material. Amorphous conglomerates containing metals other than uranium were also common, especially with the smallest particle sizes. A few samples seemed to contain small bits of nearly pure uranium metal, which were verified by EDS to have a higher uranium content exceeding that expected for uranium oxides. Results of the XRD and SEM/EDS analyses were used in other studies described in this issue of Health Physics to interpret the results of lung solubility studies and in selecting input parameters for dose assessments.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008889 Military Personnel Persons including soldiers involved with the armed forces. Air Force Personnel,Armed Forces Personnel,Army Personnel,Coast Guard,Marines,Navy Personnel,Sailors,Soldiers,Submariners,Military,Force Personnel, Air,Personnel, Air Force,Personnel, Armed Forces,Personnel, Army,Personnel, Military,Personnel, Navy,Sailor,Soldier,Submariner
D009516 New Mexico State bounded on the north by Colorado, on the east by Oklahoma and Texas, on the south by Texas and Mexico, and on the west by Arizona.
D010087 Oxides Binary compounds of oxygen containing the anion O(2-). The anion combines with metals to form alkaline oxides and non-metals to form acidic oxides. Oxide
D011834 Radiation Monitoring The observation, either continuously or at intervals, of the levels of radiation in a given area, generally for the purpose of assuring that they have not exceeded prescribed amounts or, in case of radiation already present in the area, assuring that the levels have returned to those meeting acceptable safety standards. Monitoring, Radiation
D011850 Radioactive Waste Liquid, solid, or gaseous waste resulting from mining of radioactive ore, production of reactor fuel materials, reactor operation, processing of irradiated reactor fuels, and related operations, and from use of radioactive materials in research, industry, and medicine. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Hazardous Waste, Radioactive,Nuclear Waste,Hazardous Wastes, Radioactive,Nuclear Wastes,Radioactive Hazardous Waste,Radioactive Hazardous Wastes,Radioactive Wastes,Waste, Nuclear,Waste, Radioactive,Waste, Radioactive Hazardous,Wastes, Nuclear,Wastes, Radioactive,Wastes, Radioactive Hazardous
D003198 Computer Simulation Computer-based representation of physical systems and phenomena such as chemical processes. Computational Modeling,Computational Modelling,Computer Models,In silico Modeling,In silico Models,In silico Simulation,Models, Computer,Computerized Models,Computer Model,Computer Simulations,Computerized Model,In silico Model,Model, Computer,Model, Computerized,Model, In silico,Modeling, Computational,Modeling, In silico,Modelling, Computational,Simulation, Computer,Simulation, In silico,Simulations, Computer
D005389 Firearms Small-arms weapons, including handguns, pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, etc. Guns,Rifles,Shotguns
D000336 Aerosols Colloids with a gaseous dispersing phase and either liquid (fog) or solid (smoke) dispersed phase; used in fumigation or in inhalation therapy; may contain propellant agents. Aerosol
D000396 Air Pollutants, Radioactive Pollutants present in air which exhibit radioactivity. Radioactive Air Pollutants,Pollutants, Radioactive Air
D000465 Algorithms A procedure consisting of a sequence of algebraic formulas and/or logical steps to calculate or determine a given task. Algorithm

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