A nonnuclear explosion involving an evaporator occurred in a shielded cell in the Radiochemical Processing Pilot plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Plutonium released from the processing cell contaminated areas in the pilot plant building and nearby streets and building surfaces. The explosion is considered the result of rapid reaction of nitrated organic compounds formed by the inadvertent nitration of about 14 liters of a proprietary decontaminating reagent.
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Added Title:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Report CF-60-9-57
Description
A nonnuclear explosion involving an evaporator occurred in a shielded cell in the Radiochemical Processing Pilot plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Plutonium released from the processing cell contaminated areas in the pilot plant building and nearby streets and building surfaces. The explosion is considered the result of rapid reaction of nitrated organic compounds formed by the inadvertent nitration of about 14 liters of a proprietary decontaminating reagent.
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TRAIL Microcard Collection
Imaged from microcard, these technical reports describe research performed for U.S. government agencies from the 1930s to the 1960s. The reports were provided by the Technical Report Archive and Image Library (TRAIL).
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King, L. J. & Bresee. J. C.Plutonium Release Incident at Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
report,
January 10, 1961;
Washington D.C..
(https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1241084/:
accessed February 6, 2025),
University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu;
crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.