MEASUREMENT OF PLUTONIUM IN PROGEC3 MATERIALS AND CONTAMINATED WASTE

Since the beginning of the atomic energy program, materials accountability has been emphasised. AEC audits of the various contractors handling nuclear materials have been routinely conducted to assure that accurate material accounting was indeed occurring. There is no doubt that solid, relatively pure nuclear materials can be very accurately wei^e^ and analyceri. if these types of items constituted an entire inventory, a high decree of confidence could be placed in the material inventory audit. In reality the generation of residues inherent tc the processing of nuclear materials, and process equipment hold-up contribute large inventory uncertainties. If the total quantity of nuclear material \"o:.*,aine:1 in residues and held within process equipment constituted a siuiill fraction of a given inventory, the uncertainties attributable to these sources could be ignored. In practice this is not the case. Detailed studies of typical operating experience have shown that 5 to 6 percent of all nuclear material fabricated will become a residue.