Isotope Ratio Analysis on Micron-Sized Particles in Complex Matrices by Laser Ablation – Absorption Ratio Spectrometry

Journal Article · Sun Oct 18 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2009.10.002· OSTI ID:970351

Bushaw, Bruce A. ^[1]; Anheier, Norman C. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Laser ablation has been combined with dual tunable diode laser absorption spectrometry to measure ¹⁵²Gd:¹⁶⁰Gd isotope ratios in micron-size particles. The diode lasers are tuned to specific isotopes in two different atomic transitions at 405.9 nm (¹⁵²Gd) and 413.4 nm (¹⁶⁰Gd) and directed collinearly through the laser ablation plume, separated on a diffraction grating, and detected with photodiodes to monitor transient absorption signals on a shot-by-shot basis. The method has been characterized first using Gd metal foil and then with particles of GdCl₃•xH₂0 as binary and ternary mixtures with 152Gd:160Gd isotope ratios ranging from 0.01 to 0.43. These particulate mixtures have been diluted with Columbia River sediment powder (SRM 4350B) to simulate environmental samples and we show the method is capable of detecting a few highly enriched particles in the presence of > 100-fold excess of low-enrichment particles, even when the Gd-bearing particles are a minor component (0.08%) in the SRM powder and widely dispersed (1178 particles detected in 800 000 ablation laser shots). The implications for monitoring ²³⁵U:²³⁸U enrichment ratios, as related to the nuclear industry, are discussed

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 970351
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-68022; TRN: US1001016
• Journal Information: Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy, Vol. 64, Issue 11-12; ISSN 0584-8547
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ABLATION
ABSORPTION
COLUMBIA RIVER
DIFFRACTION GRATINGS
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
LASERS
MATRICES
MIXTURES
MONITORING
MONITORS
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
PARTICULATES
PHOTODIODES
SEDIMENTS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSIENTS
Laser ablation
diode laser absorption
isotope ratios
particulates
gadolinium
uranium enrichment