Plutonium is a radioactive element

Plutonium is not a naturally occurring element. It is only produced as a product through the fission of other elements. For example, during the fission of uranium, Plutonium-239 is produced, an alpha-particle emitter with a half-life of 24,000 years, which is very long.
After 1000 years, used fuel rods will be giving off radioactive waves. Most of these waves will be as a result of plutonium. Almost all the other chemicals in fuel rods have half-lives of less than 1000 years and so have decayed by that time. Therefore, to reduce long-term radioactivity from these rods, [they] could start making fuel rods without using plutonium.
I think there must be a reason plutonium and other heavy elements with longer half-lives are used in fuel rods. Because of that I think there may be a problem with trying to remove these chemicals from the rods. Also, since the plutonium-239 is fissionable, it helps contribute to power output from the reactor (636). Lastly, while there is a process to chemically remove the plutonium called reprocessing, there are always the worries of health effects and safety from just handling plutonium.


Terms:

Reprocessing – The process of removing plutonium from other elements by exploiting the differences in the solubility of their salts.

Breeder Reactors – Nuclear power reactors that are designed to maximize the production of by-product plutonium.

Reactorgrade plutonium – Contains more of the other isotopes of plutonium and other elements, it’s used in bombs.

Works Cited:

Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Plutonium is a radioactive element.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 636-637