Physicochemical Properties of Submicron ²³⁹Pu Aerosols

Materials and methods used for the analysis of physicochemical properties of submicron industrial aerosols are described. These approaches can be used at research centers and enterprises, including those of Rosatom, for studying the physicochemical properties of submicron and nanometer aerosols. The dispersity of industrial α-emitting submicron aerosols in air of working premises of Mayak Production Association was studied for ²³⁹Pu using the neutron-induced measurement method. The size distribution of ²³⁹PuO₂ nanoparticles in air of the oxalate precipitation department is the Pareto distribution. The result obtained can be used as a priori nanoparticle size distribution in the calculation of the ²³⁹Pu-caused internal irradiation dose load on the personnel of the oxalate precipitation department, RT Plant, Mayak Production Association, using the Bayesian method.