ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
August 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Remembering ANS member Gil Brown
Brown
The nuclear community is mourning the loss of Gilbert Brown, who passed away on July 11 at the age of 77 following a battle with cancer.
Brown, an American Nuclear Society Fellow and an ANS member for nearly 50 years, joined the faculty at Lowell Technological Institute—now the University of Massachusetts–Lowell—in 1973 and remained there for the rest of his career. He eventually became director of the UMass Lowell nuclear engineering program. After his retirement, he remained an emeritus professor at the university.
Sukesh Aghara, chair of the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization, noted in an email to NEDHO members and others that “Gil was a relentless advocate for nuclear energy and a deeply respected member of our professional community. He was also a kind and generous friend—and one of the reasons I ended up at UMass Lowell. He served the university with great dedication. . . . Within NEDHO, Gil was a steady presence and served for many years as our treasurer. His contributions to nuclear engineering education and to this community will be dearly missed.”
Jungsook Clara Wren, Joanne M. Ball, Glenn A. Glowa
Nuclear Technology | Volume 125 | Number 3 | March 1999 | Pages 337-362
Technical Paper | Radioisotopes | doi.org/10.13182/NT99-A2952
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Organic impurities in containment water, originating from various painted structural surfaces and organic containment materials, could have a significant impact on iodine volatility following an accident. To determine the effect of these impurities on iodine volatility under accident conditions, literature, experimental, and modeling studies have been conducted on1. the radiolysis of organic compounds in the aqueous phase2. thermal and radiolytic formation and decomposition of organic iodides3. dissolution of organic solvents from various painted surfaces into the aqueous phase4. hydrolysis and aqueous-gas phase partitioning of organic iodides5. iodine deposition on painted surfaces.The experimental studies consist of intermediate-scale "integrated effects" tests in the Radioiodine Test Facility and bench-scale "separate effects" tests. Recent findings from these studies and implications of these studies on the safety analysis of an accident in a nuclear power station are discussed.The studies have shown that organic impurities will be found in containment water as a result of the dissolution of organic compounds from various surface paints. These compounds can have a significant effect on iodine volatility following an accident. The main influence of containment paints on iodine behavior will arise as a result of the aqueous-phase radiolysis of dissolved organic solvents, which are leached from the painted surface by the water. The radiolysis products will decrease the sump pH and dissolved oxygen concentration, consequently increasing the overall rate of conversion of dissolved I- to volatile I2. It appears that the rates of these processes may be controlled by the dissolution kinetics of the organic compounds from the surface coatings. Moreover, organic compounds may also react thermally and radiolytically with I2 to form organic iodides in the aqueous phase. Our studies have shown that the formation of organic iodides in the aqueous phase from soluble organic compounds such as ketones, alcohols, and phenols will have more impact on the total iodine volatility than the formation of CH3I from CH4 and I2 from either the gas or the aqueous phase.
