Availability of useful isotopes from civilian nuclear power reactors to the year 2000

Various fission product and actinide isotopes are present in fuels discharged from nuclear power reactors. Many of these isotopes have potential for beneficial use such as generators of thermal and/or electrical energy. Knowledge of the character and amount of these isotopes present in fuels discharged from nuclear power reactors is needed to define the current and potential use of these by-products and methods of recovery. Thus, the purpose of this study was to make a preliminary estimate of the cumulative amount from all reactors in the U. S. civilian nuclear power economy of each of those isotopes deemed as having the greatest potential for application. The time period covered is from 1972 to the year 2000. (U.S.)