Detection and speciation of transuranium elements in synthetic groundwater via pulsed-laser excitation
High sensitivity methods for detection and speciation of complexed transuranium ions in synthetic basalt groundwater, and simplified analogs, are being developed which exploit advances in pulsed laser technology. The first demonstration of high sensitivity detection of a transuranium ion at temperatures significantly above ambient is reported using laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS). The existence of enhanced LPAS signal amplitudes with increasing temperature in aqueous solution is confirmed in LPAS spectra recorded at 30 C, 60 C and 90 C using micromolar concentrations of /sup 241/Am/sup 3+/. A detection sensitivity of 8.5 parts per trillion (weight basis) of /sup 244/Cm/sup 3+/ in a simplified basalt groundwater at 22 C has been achieved using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF). This corresponds to 1 x 10/sup 8/ Cm/sup 3+/ ions in the laser beam. The detailed spectroscopic information obtained by this method points to the existence of previously unobserved Cm/sup 3+/ species. A brief assessment of the applicability and sensitivity of LPAS and LIF methods for speciating transuranium ions in near-neutral pH aqueous solution, such as the groundwater expected in a basalt nuclear waste repository, is presented. 27 refs., 3 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 5534854
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-870965-4; ON: DE88003040
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International conference on chemistry and migration behavior of actinides and fission products in the geosphere, Munich, F.R. Germany, 14 Sep 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
DYE LASERS
PULSE TECHNIQUES
GROUND WATER
SIMULATION
TRANSURANIUM COMPLEXES
DETECTION
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
AMERICIUM 241
BASALT
CURIUM 244
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SENSITIVITY
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
VALENCE
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
CURIUM ISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPES
LASERS
LIQUID LASERS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
ROCKS
SPECTROSCOPY
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
052000 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
400100 - Analytical & Separations Chemistry