Interactive radiation portal - radiaverse.com
Half-life: 24,110 years
Main emission lines: 51*, 129*, 375*, 413*, 451*, 756, 769 keV (*Lines are obscured due to contamination by Americium-241)
Associated lines: 59, 125, 208, 335, 368, 511, 662, 722 keV
Plutonium-239 is an isotope of plutonium. Plutonium-239 is the primary fissile isotope used for the production of nuclear weapons, although uranium-235 is also used for that purpose. Plutonium-239 is also one of the three main isotopes demonstrated usable as fuel in thermal spectrum nuclear reactors, along with uranium-235 and uranium-233.
Plutonium is produced in breeder reactors by irradiating uranium-238 with neutrons. After a series of nuclear transformations, the plutonium-239 isotope is formed. Reactor-grade, unrefined plutonium-239 also contains other plutonium isotopes (Pu-238, Pu-240, Pu-241, etc.). As a result, americium-241 begins to accumulate in reactor-grade plutonium due to the decay of plutonium-241, emitting a significant amount of gamma radiation. The gamma spectrum of americium-241 closely resembles that of plutonium-239, making it challenging to definitively identify the presence of plutonium-239 in spectral analysis. The accumulation of decay products from plutonium isotopes introduces additional properties to the fuel and degrades its quality, thereby limiting its service life, after which purification is required. Plutonium isotopes and their decay products emit alpha, beta particles, and gamma radiation.
Pure Plutonium-239 emits alpha particles to become uranium-235. As an alpha emitter, plutonium-239 is not particularly dangerous as an external radiation source, but if it is ingested or breathed in as dust it is very dangerous and carcinogenic. It has been estimated that a pound (454 grams) of plutonium inhaled as plutonium oxide dust could give cancer to two million people.
