Report No. 044 – Krypton-85 in the Atmosphere – Accumulation, Biological, Significance, and Control Technology (1975)

The projected rapid growth of the nuclear power industry necessitates a careful assessment of any related potential for environmental pollution. Kr-85 releases deserve special attention because of the inherent difficulty in their control and their essentially nonreactive and mobile nature in the atmosphere. The purpose of the present Report is to estimate the future global concentrations of Kr-85, their potential significance, and possible techniques for their control. Projections of Kr-85 accumulations will be made to the year 2000, as this is now sufficiently close to permit reasonable approximations to be made of the world's energy requirements and the extent to which they will then be fulfilled by nuclear power reactors. On the other hand, the year 2000 is sufficiently far off to allow for periodic reappraisal of the projections of Kr-85 accumulation in relation to developing information about the biological effects of this radionuclide and the technology for control of Kr-85 releases. In addition to the global projections, the present Report also includes estimates of Kr-85 concentrations near nuclear fuel chemical reprocessing plants.

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Table of Contents
Preface