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Xiaolin Hou - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • determination of ultratrace level 135cs and 135cs 137cs ratio in small volume seawater by Chemical Separation and thermal ionization mass spectrometry
    Analytical Chemistry, 2020
    Co-Authors: Liuchao Zhu, Xiaolin Hou, Jixin Qiao, Yonggang Zhao, Guorong Liu
    Abstract:

    The atomic ratio of 135Cs/137Cs is a powerful fingerprint for distinguishing the source terms of radioactive contamination and tracing the circulation of water masses in the ocean. However, the det...

  • Radioanalysis of ultra-low level radionuclides for environmental tracer studies and decommissioning of nuclear facilities
    Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2019
    Co-Authors: Xiaolin Hou
    Abstract:

    Determination of long-lived radionuclides is critical for environmental radioactivity investigation, environmental processes studies and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. This paper summarizes main progress in the radioChemical analysis in our laboratories in the past years for determination of ultra-low level radionuclides in the environment using Chemical Separation combined with mass spectrometry measurement. The analytical methods for determination of ultra-low level ^129I and its Chemical species in various environmental samples are highlighted. The methods developed in our laboratories for characterization of decommissioning waste, especially the methods for the determination of difficult-to-measure radionuclides using sequentially Chemical Separation and radiometric measurement are also briefly presented. This is also a part of the Hevesy Medal award lecture in the RANC2019 conference.

  • determination of femtogram level plutonium isotopes in environmental and forensic samples with high level uranium using Chemical Separation and icp ms ms measurement
    Analytical Chemistry, 2019
    Co-Authors: Xiaolin Hou, Weichao Zhang, Yanyun Wang
    Abstract:

    ICP-MS is becoming a competitive technique for measurement of plutonium isotopes. Besides the abundance sensitivity (tailing of 238U to m/z = 239 and 240), isobaric and polyatomic ions interferences (e.g., 238U1H+) are the most critical challenges for determination of low-level plutonium in high uranium samples. This work presents a new method to solve this problem using ICP-MS with two tandem quadrupole separators and a dynamic collision/reaction cell combined with Chemical Separation. The interference of uranium hydrides (238U1H+ and 238U1H2+) was effectively eliminated using CO2 as reaction gas by converting hydrides to oxides of uranium ions (UO+/UO2+) but still keeping the intensity of the Pu+ signal. The tailing interference of 238U+ (abundance sensitivity) was intensively eliminated by significantly suppressing the 238U+ signal using CO2 as reaction gas and using two tandem quadrupole mass separators in the ICP-MS/MS. With these approaches the overall interference of uranium was reduced to <1 × 10-8, which is 3 orders of magnitude better than the conventional ICP-MS. Combined with Chemical Separation with a decontamination factor of 105 for uranium, an overall factor of 1012 for elimination of uranium interference was achieved. The developed method was demonstrated to enable accurate determination of <10-15 g/g level plutonium isotopes in environmental samples even in a uranium debris sample with a U/Pu atomic ratio of up to 1012. The developed method was validated by analysis of a spiked solution and certified reference materials of soil.

  • Determination of plutonium isotopes (238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu) in environmental samples using radioChemical Separation combined with radiometric and mass spectrometric measurements
    Talanta, 2014
    Co-Authors: Jixin Qiao, Xiaolin Hou, Shaoming Pan, Per Roos
    Abstract:

    Abstract This paper reports an analytical method for the determination of plutonium isotopes ( 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 240 Pu, 241 Pu) in environmental samples using anion exchange chromatography in combination with extraction chromatography for Chemical Separation of Pu. Both radiometric methods (liquid scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were applied for the measurement of plutonium isotopes. The decontamination factors for uranium were significantly improved up to 7.5×10 5 for 20 g soil compared to the level reported in the literature, this is critical for the measurement of plutonium isotopes using mass spectrometric technique. Although the Chemical yield of Pu in the entire procedure is about 55%, the analytical results of IAEA soil 6 and IAEA-367 in this work are in a good agreement with the values reported in the literature or reference values, revealing that the developed method for plutonium determination in environmental samples is reliable. The measurement results of 239+240 Pu by alpha spectrometry agreed very well with the sum of 239 Pu and 240 Pu measured by ICP-MS. ICP-MS can not only measure 239 Pu and 240 Pu separately but also 241 Pu. However, it is impossible to measure 238 Pu using ICP-MS in environmental samples even a decontamination factor as high as 10 6 for uranium was obtained by Chemical Separation.

  • determination of technetium 99 in environmental samples a review
    Analytica Chimica Acta, 2012
    Co-Authors: Keliang Shi, Xiaolin Hou, Per Roos
    Abstract:

    Abstract Due to the lack of a stable technetium isotope, and the high mobility and long half-life, 99Tc is considered to be one of the most important radionuclides in safety assessment of environmental radioactivity as well as nuclear waste management. 99Tc is also an important tracer for oceanographic research due to the high technetium solubility in seawater as TcO4−. A number of analytical methods, using Chemical Separation combined with radiometric and mass spectrometric measurement techniques, have been developed over the past decades for determination of 99Tc in different environmental samples. This article summarizes and compares recently reported Chemical Separation procedures and measurement methods for determination of 99Tc. Due to the extremely low concentration of 99Tc in environmental samples, the sample preparation, pre-concentration, Chemical Separation and purification for removal of the interferences for detection of 99Tc are the most important issues governing the accurate determination of 99Tc. These aspects are discussed in detail in this article. Meanwhile, the different measurement techniques for 99Tc are also compared with respect to advantages and drawbacks. Novel automated analytical methods for rapid determination of 99Tc using solid extraction or ion exchange chromatography for Separation of 99Tc, employing flow injection or sequential injection approaches are also discussed.

Cristina E Davis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • high asymmetric longitudinal field ion mobility spectrometry device for low power mobile Chemical Separation and detection
    Analytical Chemistry, 2019
    Co-Authors: Yuriy Zrodnikov, Maneeshin Y Rajapakse, Daniel J Peirano, Alexander A Aksenov, Nicholas J Kenyon, Cristina E Davis
    Abstract:

    We have developed a novel Chemical sensing technique termed high asymmetric longitudinal field ion mobility spectrometry (HALF-IMS), which allows Separation of ions based on mobility differences in high and low electric fields. Our device is microfabricated, has a miniature format, and uses exceptionally low power due to the lack of RF Separation fields normally associated with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) or differential mobility spectrometry (DMS). It operates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This HALF-IMS chip contains a microscale drift cell where spatially varying electric field regions of high and low strengths are generated by direct current (DC) applied to the electrodes that are physically placed to cause ionic Separation as the ionized Chemical flows along the drift cell. Power and complexity are reduced at the chip and system levels by reducing the voltage magnitude and using DC-powered electronics. A testing platform utilizing an ultraviolet (UV) photoionization source was used...

  • High Asymmetric Longitudinal Field Ion Mobility Spectrometry Device for Low Power Mobile Chemical Separation and Detection
    2019
    Co-Authors: Yuriy Zrodnikov, Maneeshin Y Rajapakse, Daniel J Peirano, Alexander A Aksenov, Nicholas J Kenyon, Cristina E Davis
    Abstract:

    We have developed a novel Chemical sensing technique termed high asymmetric longitudinal field ion mobility spectrometry (HALF-IMS), which allows Separation of ions based on mobility differences in high and low electric fields. Our device is microfabricated, has a miniature format, and uses exceptionally low power due to the lack of RF Separation fields normally associated with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) or differential mobility spectrometry (DMS). It operates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This HALF-IMS chip contains a microscale drift cell where spatially varying electric field regions of high and low strengths are generated by direct current (DC) applied to the electrodes that are physically placed to cause ionic Separation as the ionized Chemical flows along the drift cell. Power and complexity are reduced at the chip and system levels by reducing the voltage magnitude and using DC-powered electronics. A testing platform utilizing an ultraviolet (UV) photoionization source was used with custom electronic circuit boards to interface with the chip and provide data inputs and outputs. Precise control of the electrode voltages allowed filtering of the passage of the ion of interest through the drift cell, and ionic current was measured at the detector. The device was tested by scanning of electrode voltages and obtaining ion peaks for methyl salicylate, naphthalene, benzene, and 2-butanone. The current experimental setup was capable of detecting as low as ∼80 ppb of methyl salicylate and naphthalene. The use of benzene as a dopant with 2-butanone allowed one to see two ion peaks, corresponding to benzene and 2-butanone

Fumitaka Esaka - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • determination of plutonium isotope ratios in individual uranium plutonium mixed particles with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
    Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fumitaka Esaka, Daisuke Suzuki, Yutaka Miyamoto, Masaaki Magara
    Abstract:

    An analytical technique was developed by a combination of single particle dissolution, Chemical Separation of uranium, plutonium and americium with extraction chromatography using UTEVA resins and measurement with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This method was applied to plutonium isotope ratio analysis of individual U–Pu particles with U/Pu ratios ranging from 1 to 70. Consequently, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu isotope ratios were successfully determined, while it was impossible to determine 238Pu/239Pu ratios due to the high process blank values on m/z 238.

  • Ultra-trace analysis of plutonium by thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating technique without Chemical Separation.
    Talanta, 2015
    Co-Authors: Chigyu Lee, Daisuke Suzuki, Masaaki Magara, Fumitaka Esaka, Kyuseok Song
    Abstract:

    Abstract Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) with a continuous heating technique is known as an effective method for measuring the isotope ratio in trace amounts of uranium. In this study, the analytical performance of thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating technique was investigated using a standard plutonium solution (SRM 947). The influence of the heating rate of the evaporation filament on the precision and accuracy of the isotope ratios was examined using a plutonium solution sample at the fg level. Changing the heating rate of the evaporation filament on samples ranging from 0.1 fg to 1000 fg revealed that the influence of the heating rate on the precision and accuracy of the isotope ratios was slight around the heating rate range of 100–250 mA/min. All of the isotope ratios of plutonium (SRM 947), 238Pu/239Pu, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu, were measured down to sample amounts of 70 fg. The ratio of 240Pu/239Pu was measured down to a sample amount of 0.1 fg, which corresponds to a PuO2 particle with a diameter of 0.2 μm. Moreover, the signals of 239Pu could be detected with a sample amount of 0.03 fg, which corresponds to the detection limit of 239Pu of 0.006 fg as estimated by the 3-sigma criterion. 238Pu and 238U were clearly distinguished owing to the difference in the evaporation temperature between 238Pu and 238U. In addition, 241Pu and 241Am formed by the decay of 241Pu can be discriminated owing to the difference in the evaporation temperature. As a result, the ratios of 238Pu/239Pu and 241Pu/239Pu as well as 240Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu in plutonium samples could be measured by TIMS with a continuous heating technique and without any Chemical Separation processes.

  • direct isotope ratio analysis of individual uranium plutonium mixed particles with various u pu ratios by thermal ionization mass spectrometry
    Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 2015
    Co-Authors: Daisuke Suzuki, Fumitaka Esaka, Yutaka Miyamoto, Masaaki Magara
    Abstract:

    Uranium and plutonium isotope ratios in individual uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) mixed particles with various U/Pu atomic ratios were analyzed without prior Chemical Separation by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Prior to measurement, micron-sized particles with U/Pu ratios of 1, 5, 10, 18, and 70 were produced from uranium and plutonium certified reference materials. In the TIMS analysis, the peaks of americium, plutonium, and uranium ion signals were successfully separated by continuously increasing the evaporation filament current. Consequently, the uranium and plutonium isotope ratios, except the (238)Pu/(239)Pu ratio, were successfully determined for the particles at all U/Pu ratios. This indicates that TIMS direct analysis allows for the measurement of individual U-Pu mixed particles without prior Chemical Separation.

  • simultaneous determination of plutonium and uranium isotope ratios in individual plutonium uranium mixed particles by thermal ionization mass spectrometry
    International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 2012
    Co-Authors: Chigyu Lee, Daisuke Suzuki, Masaaki Magara, Fumitaka Esaka, Yoko Saitokokubu, Takaumi Kimura
    Abstract:

    Abstract Simultaneous determination of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) is preferred for analyzing the isotope ratio in Pu and U mixed samples such as the particles formed from MOX (mixed U–Pu oxide) fuels. In this study, we developed a method for the simultaneous measurement of all the plutonium and uranium isotopes without the need for Chemical Separation, using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) with a continuous heating method. The MOX particles with sizes of 0.6–2.3 μm used in this study were made from a mixed solution of plutonium (SRM947) and uranium (U500, 50% 235U enriched). The isotope ratios of plutonium and uranium obtained for all the MOX particles, including the ones in the sub-micrometer size range, were in good agreement with the certified values within the range of error. In particular, the determination of the 238Pu/239Pu isotope ratio, which is difficult because of the isobaric interference of 238U, was performed accurately. The 238Pu/239Pu ratios were obtained by using a correction in which the background of 238U intensity at the 238Pu peak was estimated from the peak fitting of the 238U signal profile. In addition, the 241Pu/239Pu isotope ratio could be accurately measured without being influenced by the 241Am formed by the decay of 241Pu. For the MOX particles with diameters of 1.12 μm, the relative standard deviations (2RSDs) of the 238Pu/239Pu, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu, and 242Pu/239Pu isotope ratios were 15.2%, 3.4%, 12.5%, and 5.1%, respectively. The relative standard deviations (2RSDs) of the 234U/238U, 235U/238U, and 236U/238U isotope ratios were 7.0%, 3.0%, and 41.2%, respectively. It is expected that the method developed in this study will become a powerful tool for the analysis of Pu and U mixed samples because of its ability to measure simultaneously even the minor isotopes of plutonium and uranium without any Chemical Separation.

  • isotope ratio analysis of individual sub micrometer plutonium particles with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
    Talanta, 2010
    Co-Authors: Fumitaka Esaka, Daisuke Suzuki, Chigyu Lee, Masaaki Magara, Yutaka Miyamoto, Takaumi Kimura
    Abstract:

    Abstract Information on plutonium isotope ratios in individual particles is of great importance for nuclear safeguards, nuclear forensics and so on. Although secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is successfully utilized for the analysis of individual uranium particles, the isobaric interference of americium-241 to plutonium-241 makes difficult to obtain accurate isotope ratios in individual plutonium particles. In the present work, an analytical technique by a combination of Chemical Separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is developed and applied to isotope ratio analysis of individual sub-micrometer plutonium particles. The ICP-MS results for individual plutonium particles prepared from a standard reference material (NBL SRM-947) indicate that the use of a desolvation system for sample introduction improves the precision of isotope ratios. In addition, the accuracy of the 241 Pu/ 239 Pu isotope ratio is much improved, owing to the Chemical Separation of plutonium and americium. In conclusion, the performance of the proposed ICP-MS technique is sufficient for the analysis of individual plutonium particles.

Per Roos - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Determination of plutonium isotopes (238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu) in environmental samples using radioChemical Separation combined with radiometric and mass spectrometric measurements
    Talanta, 2014
    Co-Authors: Jixin Qiao, Xiaolin Hou, Shaoming Pan, Per Roos
    Abstract:

    Abstract This paper reports an analytical method for the determination of plutonium isotopes ( 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 240 Pu, 241 Pu) in environmental samples using anion exchange chromatography in combination with extraction chromatography for Chemical Separation of Pu. Both radiometric methods (liquid scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were applied for the measurement of plutonium isotopes. The decontamination factors for uranium were significantly improved up to 7.5×10 5 for 20 g soil compared to the level reported in the literature, this is critical for the measurement of plutonium isotopes using mass spectrometric technique. Although the Chemical yield of Pu in the entire procedure is about 55%, the analytical results of IAEA soil 6 and IAEA-367 in this work are in a good agreement with the values reported in the literature or reference values, revealing that the developed method for plutonium determination in environmental samples is reliable. The measurement results of 239+240 Pu by alpha spectrometry agreed very well with the sum of 239 Pu and 240 Pu measured by ICP-MS. ICP-MS can not only measure 239 Pu and 240 Pu separately but also 241 Pu. However, it is impossible to measure 238 Pu using ICP-MS in environmental samples even a decontamination factor as high as 10 6 for uranium was obtained by Chemical Separation.

  • determination of technetium 99 in environmental samples a review
    Analytica Chimica Acta, 2012
    Co-Authors: Keliang Shi, Xiaolin Hou, Per Roos
    Abstract:

    Abstract Due to the lack of a stable technetium isotope, and the high mobility and long half-life, 99Tc is considered to be one of the most important radionuclides in safety assessment of environmental radioactivity as well as nuclear waste management. 99Tc is also an important tracer for oceanographic research due to the high technetium solubility in seawater as TcO4−. A number of analytical methods, using Chemical Separation combined with radiometric and mass spectrometric measurement techniques, have been developed over the past decades for determination of 99Tc in different environmental samples. This article summarizes and compares recently reported Chemical Separation procedures and measurement methods for determination of 99Tc. Due to the extremely low concentration of 99Tc in environmental samples, the sample preparation, pre-concentration, Chemical Separation and purification for removal of the interferences for detection of 99Tc are the most important issues governing the accurate determination of 99Tc. These aspects are discussed in detail in this article. Meanwhile, the different measurement techniques for 99Tc are also compared with respect to advantages and drawbacks. Novel automated analytical methods for rapid determination of 99Tc using solid extraction or ion exchange chromatography for Separation of 99Tc, employing flow injection or sequential injection approaches are also discussed.

Masaaki Magara - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • determination of plutonium isotope ratios in individual uranium plutonium mixed particles with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
    Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fumitaka Esaka, Daisuke Suzuki, Yutaka Miyamoto, Masaaki Magara
    Abstract:

    An analytical technique was developed by a combination of single particle dissolution, Chemical Separation of uranium, plutonium and americium with extraction chromatography using UTEVA resins and measurement with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This method was applied to plutonium isotope ratio analysis of individual U–Pu particles with U/Pu ratios ranging from 1 to 70. Consequently, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu isotope ratios were successfully determined, while it was impossible to determine 238Pu/239Pu ratios due to the high process blank values on m/z 238.

  • Ultra-trace analysis of plutonium by thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating technique without Chemical Separation.
    Talanta, 2015
    Co-Authors: Chigyu Lee, Daisuke Suzuki, Masaaki Magara, Fumitaka Esaka, Kyuseok Song
    Abstract:

    Abstract Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) with a continuous heating technique is known as an effective method for measuring the isotope ratio in trace amounts of uranium. In this study, the analytical performance of thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating technique was investigated using a standard plutonium solution (SRM 947). The influence of the heating rate of the evaporation filament on the precision and accuracy of the isotope ratios was examined using a plutonium solution sample at the fg level. Changing the heating rate of the evaporation filament on samples ranging from 0.1 fg to 1000 fg revealed that the influence of the heating rate on the precision and accuracy of the isotope ratios was slight around the heating rate range of 100–250 mA/min. All of the isotope ratios of plutonium (SRM 947), 238Pu/239Pu, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu, were measured down to sample amounts of 70 fg. The ratio of 240Pu/239Pu was measured down to a sample amount of 0.1 fg, which corresponds to a PuO2 particle with a diameter of 0.2 μm. Moreover, the signals of 239Pu could be detected with a sample amount of 0.03 fg, which corresponds to the detection limit of 239Pu of 0.006 fg as estimated by the 3-sigma criterion. 238Pu and 238U were clearly distinguished owing to the difference in the evaporation temperature between 238Pu and 238U. In addition, 241Pu and 241Am formed by the decay of 241Pu can be discriminated owing to the difference in the evaporation temperature. As a result, the ratios of 238Pu/239Pu and 241Pu/239Pu as well as 240Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu in plutonium samples could be measured by TIMS with a continuous heating technique and without any Chemical Separation processes.

  • direct isotope ratio analysis of individual uranium plutonium mixed particles with various u pu ratios by thermal ionization mass spectrometry
    Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 2015
    Co-Authors: Daisuke Suzuki, Fumitaka Esaka, Yutaka Miyamoto, Masaaki Magara
    Abstract:

    Uranium and plutonium isotope ratios in individual uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) mixed particles with various U/Pu atomic ratios were analyzed without prior Chemical Separation by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Prior to measurement, micron-sized particles with U/Pu ratios of 1, 5, 10, 18, and 70 were produced from uranium and plutonium certified reference materials. In the TIMS analysis, the peaks of americium, plutonium, and uranium ion signals were successfully separated by continuously increasing the evaporation filament current. Consequently, the uranium and plutonium isotope ratios, except the (238)Pu/(239)Pu ratio, were successfully determined for the particles at all U/Pu ratios. This indicates that TIMS direct analysis allows for the measurement of individual U-Pu mixed particles without prior Chemical Separation.

  • simultaneous determination of plutonium and uranium isotope ratios in individual plutonium uranium mixed particles by thermal ionization mass spectrometry
    International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 2012
    Co-Authors: Chigyu Lee, Daisuke Suzuki, Masaaki Magara, Fumitaka Esaka, Yoko Saitokokubu, Takaumi Kimura
    Abstract:

    Abstract Simultaneous determination of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) is preferred for analyzing the isotope ratio in Pu and U mixed samples such as the particles formed from MOX (mixed U–Pu oxide) fuels. In this study, we developed a method for the simultaneous measurement of all the plutonium and uranium isotopes without the need for Chemical Separation, using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) with a continuous heating method. The MOX particles with sizes of 0.6–2.3 μm used in this study were made from a mixed solution of plutonium (SRM947) and uranium (U500, 50% 235U enriched). The isotope ratios of plutonium and uranium obtained for all the MOX particles, including the ones in the sub-micrometer size range, were in good agreement with the certified values within the range of error. In particular, the determination of the 238Pu/239Pu isotope ratio, which is difficult because of the isobaric interference of 238U, was performed accurately. The 238Pu/239Pu ratios were obtained by using a correction in which the background of 238U intensity at the 238Pu peak was estimated from the peak fitting of the 238U signal profile. In addition, the 241Pu/239Pu isotope ratio could be accurately measured without being influenced by the 241Am formed by the decay of 241Pu. For the MOX particles with diameters of 1.12 μm, the relative standard deviations (2RSDs) of the 238Pu/239Pu, 240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/239Pu, and 242Pu/239Pu isotope ratios were 15.2%, 3.4%, 12.5%, and 5.1%, respectively. The relative standard deviations (2RSDs) of the 234U/238U, 235U/238U, and 236U/238U isotope ratios were 7.0%, 3.0%, and 41.2%, respectively. It is expected that the method developed in this study will become a powerful tool for the analysis of Pu and U mixed samples because of its ability to measure simultaneously even the minor isotopes of plutonium and uranium without any Chemical Separation.

  • isotope ratio analysis of individual sub micrometer plutonium particles with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
    Talanta, 2010
    Co-Authors: Fumitaka Esaka, Daisuke Suzuki, Chigyu Lee, Masaaki Magara, Yutaka Miyamoto, Takaumi Kimura
    Abstract:

    Abstract Information on plutonium isotope ratios in individual particles is of great importance for nuclear safeguards, nuclear forensics and so on. Although secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is successfully utilized for the analysis of individual uranium particles, the isobaric interference of americium-241 to plutonium-241 makes difficult to obtain accurate isotope ratios in individual plutonium particles. In the present work, an analytical technique by a combination of Chemical Separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is developed and applied to isotope ratio analysis of individual sub-micrometer plutonium particles. The ICP-MS results for individual plutonium particles prepared from a standard reference material (NBL SRM-947) indicate that the use of a desolvation system for sample introduction improves the precision of isotope ratios. In addition, the accuracy of the 241 Pu/ 239 Pu isotope ratio is much improved, owing to the Chemical Separation of plutonium and americium. In conclusion, the performance of the proposed ICP-MS technique is sufficient for the analysis of individual plutonium particles.