Partitioning and Transmutation of Spent Nuclear Fuel:

The U.S. Program on Fuel Development

Dr. Mitchell K. Meyer

Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho Falls ID

The major contributors to long-term radiotoxicity in spent nuclear fuel are the minor actinide

elements and a few long-lived fission products. These elements can be destroyed through

neutron fission and capture (transmutation). The effectiveness of a transmutation system in

reducing the actinide inventory is linked to the development of a robust ‘fuel’ system. Very

little data has been generated to date on minor-actinide-bearing fuel systems. Available data

are used to assess the implications of minor-actinide specific issues on transmuter fuel, and

the U.S. program for research in this area is presented.