Innovative high-temperature ammonium bifluoride fusion and rapid analysis of elements with nuclear forensic value
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Research Reactor
High-temperature ammonium bifluoride (ABF) fusions were evaluated for potential use in rapid dissolution of post-detonation nuclear debris. The ABF fusion was carried out in a Pt crucible which allowed evaluation of higher fusion and evaporation temperatures. The high-temperature ABF fusion dissolution method was evaluated using geological reference materials: USGS QLO-1a Quartz Latite, USGS SDC-1 Mica Schist, and NIST 278 Obsidian Rock. The optimized dissolution method involved a 10 min fusion at 540 °C, a 5 min reflux in 8 M HNO3, an evaporation at 300 °C and final dilution into 45 mL of 2% (v/v) HNO3. The final solution was filtered after heating at 105 °C using a hotblock. This dissolution method was simple, requiring only a hotplate or hotblock, filtered samples were available for ICP-MS analysis or radiochemical separation within 150 min, and was found to have high (>90%) recovery for many isotopes of interest in nuclear forensics applications. U and Pu in the dissolved material was separated using TEVA and UTEVA extraction chromatography columns, a process which resulted in >90% recovery. An irradiated U tracer was spiked into the material prior to dissolution and analyzed for recovery of major fission products and 239Np. The monitored radionuclides had recoveries of greater than 90%, except for the volatile radioiodine isotopes.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NE0000118; BSC-0922374
- OSTI ID:
- 1850444
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1776238
- Journal Information:
- Talanta, Vol. 221, Issue C; ISSN 0039-9140
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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