The radiolysis of solid oxalic acid and ammonium oxalate induced by mixed pile and 60Co gamma radiation

Abstract

The radiolysis of anhydrous and oxalic acid dihydrate and ammonium oxalate in the solid state by mixed pile and 60Co γ-radiation was studied at doses up to ca. 1000 megarads when about 50 per cent decomposition occurred. Dosimetry for these purposes is discussed in detail, particularly for experiments performed in the pile core of the Vinča heavy water reactor. It was found that CO 2, CO and H 2 are the gaseous products and their yields were determined. In aqueous solutions of irradiated solid samples glycollic and glyoxalic acid were found. The decomposition-dose curves as well as the CO 2 dosage curves follow first order kinetics in the region studied. Initial G(-oxalate) for mixed pile radiation are 8.3 and 3·0 for H 2C 2O 4·2H 2O and (NH 4) 2C 2O 4·H 2O, respectively. For 60Co γ-radiation the corresponding values are 6·0 and 3·2. G-values for H 2C 2O 4 were between 7 and 10 for pile radiation and 7·0 for 60Co γ-radiation. The experimental results indicate that oxalic acid dihydrate may be a useful chemical dosimeter for reactor radiation in the multi-megarad region.