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Environmental monitoring for uranium and neptunium at Yucca Mountain

Conference ·
OSTI ID:140857
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Missouri Research Reactor, Research Park, Columbia, MO (US)
In this paper Epithermal Neutron Activation Analysis (ENAA) is investigated as an analysis method for uranium and neptunium in environmental samples from Yucca Mountain. The design and construction of a facility for this technique are described. Theoretical improvements in sensitivity for ENAA over thermal Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) are discussed and compared to experimental results for different sample types. Uranium is analyzed in eight different sample matrices, including samples from Yucca Mountain. To date, neptunium has been studied only in AGV-1 Granite. As predicted by theory, uranium shows a high sensitivity improvement factor (average = 7.76), while neptunium has a factor of only 0.49. Detection limits for uranium using ENAA range from 6 to 52 ppb (2.6 to 17 ng). neptunium shows a detection limit of 57 ppb (6.2 ng). Using thermal NAA, neptunium can be analyzed to 35 ppb (3.4 ng).
OSTI ID:
140857
Report Number(s):
CONF-920430--; ISBN 0-87262-891-4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English