Development of isotope dilution gamma-ray spectrometry for plutonium analysis

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6215800

Li, T K; Parker, J L ^[1]; Kuno, Y; Sato, S; Kurosawa, A; Akiyama, T ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)

We are studying the feasibility of determining the plutonium concentration and isotopic distribution of highly radioactive, spent-fuel dissolver solutions by employing high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The study involves gamma-ray plutonium isotopic analysis for both dissolver and spiked dissolver solution samples, after plutonium is eluted through an ion-exchange column and absorbed in a small resin bead bag. The spike is well characterized, dry plutonium containing {approximately}98% of {sup 239}Pu. By using measured isotopic information, the concentration of elemental plutonium in the dissolver solution can be determined. Both the plutonium concentration and the isotopic composition of the dissolver solution obtained from this study agree well with values obtained by traditional isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). Because it is rapid, easy to operate and maintain, and costs less, this new technique could be an alternative method to IDMS for input accountability and verification measurements in reprocessing plants. 7 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6215800
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-91-1567; CONF-910534--7; ON: DE92002517
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLVERS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GAMMA SPECTROSCOPY
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPE DILUTION
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
METALS
MIXTURES
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POLYMERS
PROCESS SOLUTIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RESINS
SILICON 32 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOT