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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
O. K. Tallent, J. C. Mailen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 34 | Number 3 | August 1977 | Pages 416-419
Technical Paper | Chemical Processing | doi.org/10.13182/NT77-A31806
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effects of Cu2+, Hg2+, Zn2+, La3+, Ce3+, Al3+, Pu4+, Th4+, and Zr4+ metal ion impurities on PuO2 dissolution in 8.0M HNO3—0.1M HF solution at 100°C have been investigated. Results based on 1.0 h of dissolution time show that such metal ions as Al3+, Pu4+, Th4+, and Zr4+, which form strong fluoride complexes, greatly decrease the dissolution rate, whereas such metal ions as Cu2+, Hg2+, Zn2+, La3+, and Ce3+, which form relatively weak fluoride complexes, have little or no effect. Fluoride ion activities in the dissolvents were calculated based on an empirical equation, K1aF + aF − 0.10 γs = 0, where K1, aF, and γs denote first metal ion fluoride complex stability constant, fluoride ion activity, and stoichiometric fluoride ion activity coefficient, respectively. The PuO2 dissolution rates were found to increase linearly with increase in the calculated fluoride ion activities.