Actinide determination and analytical support for characterization of environmental samples

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10129310· OSTI ID:10129310

Rokop, D J; Efurd, D W; Perrin, R E

Clean chemical and Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) procedures have been developed to permit the determination of environmental actinide element concentrations and isotopic signatures. The isotopic signatures help identify element origin and separate naturally occurring or background contributions from local anthropogenic sources. Typical sample sizes for processing are 2 liters of water, 1--10 grams of sediment, and 1--20 grams of soil. Measurement limits for Pu, Am, and Np are < 1 {times} 18{sup 8} atoms, and for U are < 2.5 {times} 10{sup 12} atoms. For isotopic signatures, < 5 {times} 10{sup 8} atoms of Pu, Am, and Np are necessary, and 8 {times} 10{sup 12} atoms of U are required. Of potential interest to the IAEA is the incorporation of these techniques into their Safeguards Analytical Laboratory for environmental sampling. Studies made of surface waters, sediments and soils from the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) in Colorado, US, are used as examples of this methodology. These studies showed that, although plant boundary actinide concentrations approached, on the downstream side, natural or background levels, isotopic signatures characteristic of plant operations were still discernible.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10129310
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--94-462; CONF-940307--26; ON: DE94007539
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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