Where does Plutonium Come from?
Plutonium is created from uranium in nuclear reactors. When uranium-238 absorbs a neutron, it becomes uranium-239 which ultimately decays to plutonium-239. Different isotopes of uranium and different combinations of neutron absorptions and radioactive decay, create different isotopes of plutonium. Some of the plutonium-239 in the fuel rods burns (fissions) along with uranium and helps produce heat, which is converted into electricity. As fission continues, the reaction products remain in the fuel pellets and absorb neutrons, slowing (“poisoning”) the fission process. Finally, the ratio of poisons to fissional materials reaches a point at which the fuel is said to be “spent” and must be replaced. However, even spent fuel contains some plutonium. The majority of plutonium was produced for nuclear weapons in several government reactors designed to maximize the production of plutonium. Between 1944 and 1988, the U.S. built and operated these production reactors’ at high-security government
