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Title: Analysis of geological materials containing uranium using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a rapid atomic emission spectroscopy technique that can be configured for a variety of applications including space, forensics, and industry. LIBS can also be configured for stand-off distances or in-situ, under vacuum, high pressure, atmospheric or different gas environments, and with different resolving-power spectrometers. In this paper, the detection of uranium in a complex geological matrix under different measurement schemes is explored. Although many investigations have been completed in an attempt to detect and quantify uranium in different matrices at in-situ and standoff distances, this work detects and quantifies uranium in a complex matrix under Martian and ambient air conditions. Investigation of uranium detection using a low resolving-power LIBS system at stand-off distances (1.6 m) is also reported. The results are compared to an in-situ LIBS system with medium resolving power and under ambient air conditions. Uranium has many thousands of emission lines in the 200–800 nm spectral region. In the presence of other matrix elements and at lower concentrations, the limit of detection of uranium is significantly reduced. The two measurement methods (low and high resolving-power spectrometers) are compared for limit of detection (LOD). Of the twenty-one potential diagnostic uranium emission lines, sevenmore » (409, 424, 434, 435, 436, 591, and 682 nm) have been used to determine the LOD for pitchblende in a dunite matrix using the ChemCam test bed LIBS system. The LOD values determined for uranium transitions in air are 409.013 nm (24,700 ppm), 424.167 nm (23,780 ppm), 434.169 nm (24,390 ppm), 435.574 nm (35,880 ppm), 436.205 nm (19,340 ppm), 591.539 nm (47,310 ppm), and 682.692 nm (18,580 ppm). The corresponding LOD values determined for uranium transitions in 7 Torr CO2 are 424.167 nm (25,760 ppm), 434.169 nm (40,800 ppm), 436.205 nm (32,050 ppm), 591.539 nm (15,340 ppm), and 682.692 nm (29,080 ppm). The LOD values determine for uranium emission lines using the medium resolving power (10,000 λ/Δλ) LIBS system for the dunite matrix in air are 409.013 nm (6120 ppm), 424.167 nm (5356 ppm), 434.169 nm (5693 ppm), 435.574 nm (6329 ppm), 436.205 nm (2142 ppm), and 682.692 nm (10,741 ppm). The corresponding LOD values determined for uranium transitions in a SiO2 matrix are 409.013 nm (272 ppm), 424.167 nm (268 ppm), 434.169 nm (402 ppm), 435.574 nm (1067 ppm), 436.205 nm (482 ppm), and 682.692 nm (720 ppm). The impact of spectral resolution, atmospheric conditions, matrix elements, and measurement distances on LOD is discussed. The measurements will assist one in selecting the proper system components based upon the application and the required analytical performance.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Contributing Org.:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
OSTI Identifier:
1458924
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1359836
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-16-20150
Journal ID: ISSN 0584-8547; TRN: US1901524
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0584-8547
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; Uranium; Geological analysis; Limit of detection; Spectrometer resolving power

Citation Formats

Barefield, James E., Judge, Elizabeth J., Campbell, Keri R., Colgan, James P., Kilcrease, David P., Johns, Heather M., Wiens, Roger C., McInroy, Rhonda E., Martinez, Ronald K., and Clegg, Samuel M. Analysis of geological materials containing uranium using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1016/j.sab.2016.03.012.
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Barefield, James E., Judge, Elizabeth J., Campbell, Keri R., Colgan, James P., Kilcrease, David P., Johns, Heather M., Wiens, Roger C., McInroy, Rhonda E., Martinez, Ronald K., & Clegg, Samuel M. Analysis of geological materials containing uranium using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2016.03.012
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Barefield, James E., Judge, Elizabeth J., Campbell, Keri R., Colgan, James P., Kilcrease, David P., Johns, Heather M., Wiens, Roger C., McInroy, Rhonda E., Martinez, Ronald K., and Clegg, Samuel M. Fri . "Analysis of geological materials containing uranium using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2016.03.012. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1458924.
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@article{osti_1458924,
title = {Analysis of geological materials containing uranium using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy},
author = {Barefield, James E. and Judge, Elizabeth J. and Campbell, Keri R. and Colgan, James P. and Kilcrease, David P. and Johns, Heather M. and Wiens, Roger C. and McInroy, Rhonda E. and Martinez, Ronald K. and Clegg, Samuel M.},
abstractNote = {Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a rapid atomic emission spectroscopy technique that can be configured for a variety of applications including space, forensics, and industry. LIBS can also be configured for stand-off distances or in-situ, under vacuum, high pressure, atmospheric or different gas environments, and with different resolving-power spectrometers. In this paper, the detection of uranium in a complex geological matrix under different measurement schemes is explored. Although many investigations have been completed in an attempt to detect and quantify uranium in different matrices at in-situ and standoff distances, this work detects and quantifies uranium in a complex matrix under Martian and ambient air conditions. Investigation of uranium detection using a low resolving-power LIBS system at stand-off distances (1.6 m) is also reported. The results are compared to an in-situ LIBS system with medium resolving power and under ambient air conditions. Uranium has many thousands of emission lines in the 200–800 nm spectral region. In the presence of other matrix elements and at lower concentrations, the limit of detection of uranium is significantly reduced. The two measurement methods (low and high resolving-power spectrometers) are compared for limit of detection (LOD). Of the twenty-one potential diagnostic uranium emission lines, seven (409, 424, 434, 435, 436, 591, and 682 nm) have been used to determine the LOD for pitchblende in a dunite matrix using the ChemCam test bed LIBS system. The LOD values determined for uranium transitions in air are 409.013 nm (24,700 ppm), 424.167 nm (23,780 ppm), 434.169 nm (24,390 ppm), 435.574 nm (35,880 ppm), 436.205 nm (19,340 ppm), 591.539 nm (47,310 ppm), and 682.692 nm (18,580 ppm). The corresponding LOD values determined for uranium transitions in 7 Torr CO2 are 424.167 nm (25,760 ppm), 434.169 nm (40,800 ppm), 436.205 nm (32,050 ppm), 591.539 nm (15,340 ppm), and 682.692 nm (29,080 ppm). The LOD values determine for uranium emission lines using the medium resolving power (10,000 λ/Δλ) LIBS system for the dunite matrix in air are 409.013 nm (6120 ppm), 424.167 nm (5356 ppm), 434.169 nm (5693 ppm), 435.574 nm (6329 ppm), 436.205 nm (2142 ppm), and 682.692 nm (10,741 ppm). The corresponding LOD values determined for uranium transitions in a SiO2 matrix are 409.013 nm (272 ppm), 424.167 nm (268 ppm), 434.169 nm (402 ppm), 435.574 nm (1067 ppm), 436.205 nm (482 ppm), and 682.692 nm (720 ppm). The impact of spectral resolution, atmospheric conditions, matrix elements, and measurement distances on LOD is discussed. The measurements will assist one in selecting the proper system components based upon the application and the required analytical performance.},
doi = {10.1016/j.sab.2016.03.012},
journal = {Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy},
number = C,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Fri Mar 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2016.03.012
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Works referenced in this record:

Determination of Uranium in Solution Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
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Detection of Uranium Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
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Determination of uranium concentration in an ore sample using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
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Line Selection and Parameter Optimization for Trace Analysis of Uranium in Glass Matrices by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
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Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements of uranium and thorium powders and uranium ore
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Analysis and Spectral Assignments of Mixed Actinide Oxide Samples Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
journal, April 2013

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journal, January 2012

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journal, May 2010

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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Laser-produced uranium plasma characterization and Stark broadening measurements
    journal, September 2019

    • Burger, M.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Jovanovic, I.
    • Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 9
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5099643

    Two-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy of uranium isotopes in femtosecond laser ablation plumes
    journal, June 2017

    Mapping of Uranium in Surrogate Nuclear Debris Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
    journal, March 2019

    • Shattan, Michael B.; Gragston, Mark; Zhang, Zhili
    • Applied Spectroscopy, Vol. 73, Issue 6
    • DOI: 10.1177/0003702819842871

    Progress of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in nuclear industry applications
    journal, October 2019

    Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis
    journal, June 2018

    • Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.
    • Applied Physics Reviews, Vol. 5, Issue 2
    • DOI: 10.1063/1.5016053

    Physical conditions for UO formation in laser-produced uranium plumes
    journal, January 2019

    • Harilal, S. S.; Kautz, E. J.; Bernacki, B. E.
    • Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Vol. 21, Issue 29
    • DOI: 10.1039/c9cp02250c

    Plasma characteristics and element analysis of steels from a nuclear power plant based on fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
    journal, November 2018

    Quantitative Analysis of Cerium-Gallium Alloys Using a Hand-Held Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Device
    journal, August 2019

    • Rao, Ashwin P.; Cook, Matthew T.; Hall, Howard L.
    • Atoms, Vol. 7, Issue 3
    • DOI: 10.3390/atoms7030084

    Improved measurement of the calorific value of pulverized coal particle flow by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)
    journal, January 2019

    • Li, Wenbing; Dong, Meirong; Lu, Shengzi
    • Analytical Methods, Vol. 11, Issue 35
    • DOI: 10.1039/c9ay01246j

    Single-shot, multi-signature remote detection of uranium by filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy
    journal, January 2019

    • Finney, L. A.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Burger, M.
    • Optics Letters, Vol. 44, Issue 11
    • DOI: 10.1364/ol.44.002783

    Elemental composition analysis of granite rocks using LIBS and LA-TOF-MS
    journal, January 2018

    • Umar, Zeshan Adeel; Ahmed, Nasar; Ahmed, Rizwan
    • Applied Optics, Vol. 57, Issue 18
    • DOI: 10.1364/ao.57.004985

    High-resolution spectroscopy of laser ablation plumes using laser-induced fluorescence
    journal, January 2017

    • Harilal, S. S.; LaHaye, N. L.; Phillips, M. C.
    • Optics Express, Vol. 25, Issue 3
    • DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.002312

    Two-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy of uranium isotopes in femtosecond laser ablation plumes
    journal, June 2017

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