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Title: Rapid dissolution of surrogate nuclear debris using ammonium bifluoride fusion and indirect sonication dissolution methods

Journal Article · · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry. Research Reactor

Prompt analysis of elemental and isotopic information from post-detonation nuclear debris is critical for rapid attribution analysis. The capabilities of dissolution methods that use ammonium bifluoride (ABF, NH4HF2) and pressurized microwave digestion with HF acid are reported for NIST Surrogate Post-detonation Urban Debris (SPUD). Elemental concentration and isotope ratios were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The SPUD material was also analyzed for U concentration using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Finally, the ABF dissolution method with a 10:1 ABF to sample ratio and the pressurized microwave digestion methods resulted in comparable results.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) (United States); Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (United States)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396; HDTRA1-15-1-0016; NRC-HQ-84-15-G-0036
OSTI ID:
1479990
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-18-23166
Journal Information:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 318, Issue 1; ISSN 0236-5731
Publisher:
SpringerCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (8)

Development of synthetic nuclear melt glass for forensic analysis journal January 2015
Total Rock Dissolution Using Ammonium Bifluoride (NH 4 HF 2 ) in Screw-Top Teflon Vials: A New Development in Open-Vessel Digestion journal November 2012
Development of ammonium bifluoride fusion method for rapid dissolution of trinitite samples and analysis by ICP-MS journal August 2015
Evaluation of ammonium bifluoride fusion for rapid dissolution in post-detonation nuclear forensic analysis journal January 2017
Sonication assisted dissolution of post-detonation nuclear debris using ammonium bifluoride journal November 2017
Precise Elemental and Isotopic Analyses in Silicate Samples Employing ICP-MS: Application of Hydrofluoric Acid Solution and Analytical Techniques journal January 2009
Measurement of Uranium Isotope Ratios in Keratinous Materials: A Noninvasive Bioassay for Special Nuclear Material journal August 2016
An Investigation of Digestion Methods for Trace Elements in Bauxite and Their Determination in Ten Bauxite Reference Materials Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry journal July 2015

Cited By (8)

Development of synthetic nuclear melt glass for forensic analysis journal January 2015
Development of ammonium bifluoride fusion method for rapid dissolution of trinitite samples and analysis by ICP-MS journal August 2015
Total Rock Dissolution Using Ammonium Bifluoride (NH 4 HF 2 ) in Screw-Top Teflon Vials: A New Development in Open-Vessel Digestion journal November 2012
Measurement of Uranium Isotope Ratios in Keratinous Materials: A Noninvasive Bioassay for Special Nuclear Material journal August 2016
Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for total metal determination in silicon-containing solid samples using the microwave-assisted nitric acid–hydrofluoric acid–hydrogen peroxide–boric acid digestion system journal January 1996
Evaluation of ammonium bifluoride fusion for rapid dissolution in post-detonation nuclear forensic analysis journal January 2017
Sonication assisted dissolution of post-detonation nuclear debris using ammonium bifluoride journal November 2017
Precise Elemental and Isotopic Analyses in Silicate Samples Employing ICP-MS: Application of Hydrofluoric Acid Solution and Analytical Techniques journal January 2009