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Title: Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS

Abstract

An increasing number of physics experiments require low background materials for their construction. The presence of Uranium and Thorium and their progeny in these materials present a variety of unwanted background sources for these experiments. The sensitivity of the experiments continues to drive the necessary levels of detection ever lower as well. This requirement for greater sensitivity has rendered direct radioassay impractical in many cases requiring large quantities of material, frequently many kilograms, and prolonged counting times, often months. Other assay techniques have been employed such as Neutron Activation Analysis but this requires access to expensive facilities and instrumentation and can be further complicated and delayed by the formation of unwanted radionuclides. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a useful tool and recent advancements have increased the sensitivity particularly in the elemental high mass range of U and Th. Unlike direct radioassay, ICP-MS is a destructive technique since it requires the sample to be in liquid form which is aspirated into a high temperature plasma. But it benefits in that it usually requires a very small sample, typically about a gram. Here we will discuss how a variety of low background materials such as copper, polymers, and fused silicamore » are made amenable to ICP-MS assay and how the arduous task of maintaining low backgrounds of U and Th is achieved.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1149242
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-96462
830403000
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Proceedings of the IV International Workshop in Low Radioactivity Techniques (LRT2013), April 10-12, 2013, Assergi, Italy. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1549:58-65
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
ICP-MS, Uranium, Thorium, Ultra-Trace, Radionuclides

Citation Formats

Hoppe, Eric W., Overman, Nicole R., and LaFerriere, Brian D. Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4818076.
Hoppe, Eric W., Overman, Nicole R., & LaFerriere, Brian D. Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818076
Hoppe, Eric W., Overman, Nicole R., and LaFerriere, Brian D. 2013. "Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818076.
@article{osti_1149242,
title = {Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS},
author = {Hoppe, Eric W. and Overman, Nicole R. and LaFerriere, Brian D.},
abstractNote = {An increasing number of physics experiments require low background materials for their construction. The presence of Uranium and Thorium and their progeny in these materials present a variety of unwanted background sources for these experiments. The sensitivity of the experiments continues to drive the necessary levels of detection ever lower as well. This requirement for greater sensitivity has rendered direct radioassay impractical in many cases requiring large quantities of material, frequently many kilograms, and prolonged counting times, often months. Other assay techniques have been employed such as Neutron Activation Analysis but this requires access to expensive facilities and instrumentation and can be further complicated and delayed by the formation of unwanted radionuclides. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a useful tool and recent advancements have increased the sensitivity particularly in the elemental high mass range of U and Th. Unlike direct radioassay, ICP-MS is a destructive technique since it requires the sample to be in liquid form which is aspirated into a high temperature plasma. But it benefits in that it usually requires a very small sample, typically about a gram. Here we will discuss how a variety of low background materials such as copper, polymers, and fused silica are made amenable to ICP-MS assay and how the arduous task of maintaining low backgrounds of U and Th is achieved.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4818076},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1149242}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}

Conference:
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