▁during ▁nuclear ▁re processing , ▁the ▁noble ▁metal ▁Ruth enium , ▁which ▁is ▁generated ▁in ▁a ▁f ission ▁product ▁yield ▁rate ▁of ▁from ▁ 0 . 3 9 % ▁to ▁ 3 . 1 0 3 % ▁of ▁every ▁f ission ▁of ▁a ▁nucle us ▁of ▁u ran ium ▁or ▁plut on ium ▁respectively , ▁is ▁by ▁contrast ▁generally ▁in ▁met all ic ▁form , ▁with ▁a ▁high ▁bo iling ▁point ▁of ▁ ▁in ▁spent ▁fuel . ▁O wing ▁to ▁the ▁ion izing ▁radiation ▁environment ▁of ▁spent ▁fuel ▁and ▁the ▁entry ▁of ▁o xygen , ▁however , ▁radi ol ysis - rea ctions ▁can ▁generate ▁the ▁more ▁vol atile ▁comp ound ▁Ruth enium ( V III ) ▁ox ide , ▁which ▁has ▁a ▁bo iling ▁point ▁of ▁approximately ▁ ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁strong ▁ox id izer , ▁react ing ▁with ▁virt ually ▁any ▁fuel / h ydro car bon . ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁solution ▁of ▁trib ut yl ▁ph osph ate ▁in ▁the ▁hydro car b ons ▁k eros ene ▁or ▁d ode c ane , ▁is ▁frequently ▁used ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁nuclear ▁re processing ▁method ▁known ▁as ▁P URE X . ▁Acc ident al ▁air bor ne ▁releases ▁of ▁Ru - 1 0 6 ▁have ▁occurred , ▁through ▁this ▁path way ▁in ▁the ▁past , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁British ▁B 2 0 4 ▁re processing ▁incident ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁where ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁employees ▁were ▁heavily ▁exposed . ▁ ▁With ▁cor ros ion ▁of ▁the ▁fuel