A system to generate transient, elevated effective mass electron quasiparticles for transmuting radioactive fission products. The system comprises a substrate, one or more reaction crystallites over the substrate, a hydrogen gas source configured to supply gaseous hydrogen molecules, a hydrogen atom generator configured to generate hydrogen atoms from the gaseous hydrogen molecules and to cause the hydrogen atoms to be transported to the one or more reaction crystallites, and a reactant. The one or more reaction crystallites are configured to receive the hydrogen atoms. The one or more reaction crystallites are configured to form one or more transient, elevated effective mass electron quasiparticles in response to receiving the hydrogen atoms. The one or more transient, elevated effective mass electron quasiparticles are configured to stimulate attraction between the hydrogen atoms and the reactant and to cause transmutation of the reactant. Other embodiments of related systems and methods also are disclosed.