Abstract:
In consideration of the potential use of minor actinides in nuclear fuel, the fission products of several minor actinides (²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am, ²⁴²[superscript m]Am, ²⁴³Cm, ²⁴⁴Cm, ²⁴⁵Cm, and ²⁴⁶Cm) were evaluated and compared to the fission products of ²³⁵U. Available data from the Evaluated Nuclear Data File and the Nuclear Database were used in conjunction with Environmental Protection
Agency risk estimates and the Radiological Safety Analysis program to estimate several risks from the various fission products. Results show that some minor actinides produce fission
products whose estimated risks are greater than the risks from fission products of ²³⁵U in a number of cases.
