Radiotoxicity hazard of inert matrix fuels after burning minor actinides in light water reactors

Ingestion radiotoxicity hazard index of inert matrix spent fuels are invest igated after burning minor actinide (MA) isotopes in LWRs and compared with the hazard index of MOX and MA burning MOX (MOX+MA) spent fuels. As U-free fuels, ROX: (PuO2+ZrO2) and TOX: (PuO2+ThO2), are considered, in which MA' s are added as oxides. The radiotoxicity hazard index of ROX+MA spent fuel is less than that of TOX+MA and MOX+MA spent fuels due to the lower density of actinides in spent fuel. Some of cooling years the toxic yield of ROX+M A spent fuel is even less than that of MOX spent fuel, if the initial loade d MA in ROX is about 0.5 at %. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.