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Title: Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples

Abstract

A new rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for the preparation of 10-20 g soil samples has been developed by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The method enables lower detection limits for plutonium, neptunium, and americium in environmental soil samples. The method also significantly reduces sample processing time and acid fume generation compared to traditional soil digestion techniques using hydrofluoric acid. Ten gram soil aliquots can be ashed and fused using the new method in 1-2 hours, completely dissolving samples, including refractory particles. Pu, Np and Am are separated using stacked 2mL cartridges of TEVA and DGA Resin and measured using alpha spectrometry. The method can be adapted for measurement by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Two 10 g soil aliquots of fused soil may be combined prior to chromatographic separations to further improve detection limits. Total sample preparation time, including chromatographic separations and alpha spectrometry source preparation, is less than 8 hours.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)
  2. PG Research Foundation. Lisle, IL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1171510
Report Number(s):
SRNL-STI-2014-00622
Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC09-08SR22470
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 305; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; RAPID; PLUTONIUM; AMERICIUM; SOIL; FUSION; LARGE

Citation Formats

Maxwell, Sherrod L., Culligan, Brian, Hutchison, Jay B., and McAlister, Daniel R. Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1007/s10967-015-3992-x.
Maxwell, Sherrod L., Culligan, Brian, Hutchison, Jay B., & McAlister, Daniel R. Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-3992-x
Maxwell, Sherrod L., Culligan, Brian, Hutchison, Jay B., and McAlister, Daniel R. 2015. "Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-3992-x. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1171510.
@article{osti_1171510,
title = {Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples},
author = {Maxwell, Sherrod L. and Culligan, Brian and Hutchison, Jay B. and McAlister, Daniel R.},
abstractNote = {A new rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for the preparation of 10-20 g soil samples has been developed by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The method enables lower detection limits for plutonium, neptunium, and americium in environmental soil samples. The method also significantly reduces sample processing time and acid fume generation compared to traditional soil digestion techniques using hydrofluoric acid. Ten gram soil aliquots can be ashed and fused using the new method in 1-2 hours, completely dissolving samples, including refractory particles. Pu, Np and Am are separated using stacked 2mL cartridges of TEVA and DGA Resin and measured using alpha spectrometry. The method can be adapted for measurement by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Two 10 g soil aliquots of fused soil may be combined prior to chromatographic separations to further improve detection limits. Total sample preparation time, including chromatographic separations and alpha spectrometry source preparation, is less than 8 hours.},
doi = {10.1007/s10967-015-3992-x},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1171510}, journal = {Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry},
issn = {0236-5731},
number = 2,
volume = 305,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Feb 14 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sat Feb 14 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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Cited by: 29 works
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Works referenced in this record:

Routine radiochemical method for the determination of 90Sr, 238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am and 244Cm in environmental samples
journal, May 2005


Determination of plutonium in environmental samples by AMS and alpha spectrometry
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Rapid method for determination of plutonium, americium and curium in large soil samples
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Rapid separation method for actinides in emergency soil samples
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Rapid radiochemical method for determination of actinides in emergency concrete and brick samples
journal, September 2011


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Novel Extraction of Chromatographic Resins Based on Tetraalkyldiglycolamides: Characterization and Potential Applications
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Rapid Determination of 237np and Plutonium Isotopes in Urine by Inductively-Coupled Plasma mass Spectrometry and Alpha Spectrometry
journal, January 2011


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