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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

LASL analytical chemistry program for fissionable materials safeguards

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5721468
Gas-solid reactions at elevated temperature, used previously to convert uranium in refractory forms to species readily soluble in acid, are being applied to thorium materials. A microgram-sensitive spectrophotometric method was developed for determining uranium and the LASL Automated Spectrophotometer has been modified to use it. The instrument now is functional for determining milligram amounts of plutonium, and milligram and microgram amounts of uranium. Construction of an automated controlled-potential-coulometric analyzer has been completed. It is giving design performance of 0.1% relative standard deviation for the determination of plutonium using a method developed especially for the instrument. A method has been developed for the microcomplexometric titration of uranium in its stable (VI) oxidation state. A color probe analyzer assembled for this titration also has been used for microcomplexometric titration of thorium. The present status of reference materials prepared for NBS and for the SALE program, as well as examples of working reference materials prepared for use with nondestructive analyzers, is given. The interlaboratory measured value of the /sup 239/Pu half-life is 24,119 y. Just completed measurement of the half life of /sup 241/Pu is 14.38 y. Measurement of the /sup 240/Pu half life is in progress.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5721468
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-79-3190; CONF-791117-7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English