The determination of lanthanides and actinides by laser ablation ICP-AES
- Argonne National Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
The use of electro-refining technology for the treatment of spent nuclear fuels has been developed by Argonne National Laboratory. To support this program, a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer utilizing a high resolution grating spectrometer has been developed for the determination of lanthanides and actinides in the refiner electrolyte (a LiCl/KCl eutectic mixture). This instrumentation has two basic configurations, a bench top system for use with samples containing no irradiated or Pu containing material and a remote system designed to minimize the exposure personnel and instrumentation to the sample. The problems encountered in achieving precise and accurate results for the determination of U in the electrolyte salt due to matrix, memory and transport effects will be discussed. The exact chemical form of U in the salt matrix was shown to be important. Matrix matched standards and the selection of the correct intrinsic internal standard were required if accurate quantitative data was to be obtained. Precise results, for the determination of U, were achieved only after the application of additional processing to the laser ablation aerosol. The determination of the lanthanides also required matrix matched standards and was further complicated by a number of mutual spectral interferences. The use of a high resolution spectrometer, careful line selection, spectral deconvolution and laser excited fluorescence facilitated the determination of the lanthanides in these complex matrices.
- OSTI ID:
- 466502
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-951017--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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