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Title: Accelerator mass spectrometry of Strontium-90 for homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health

Abstract

Strontium-90 is one of the most hazardous materials managed by agencies charged with protecting the public from radiation. Traditional radiometric methods have been limited by low sample throughput and slow turnaround times. Mass spectrometry offers the advantage of shorter analysis times and the ability to measure samples immediately after processing, however conventional mass spectrometric techniques are susceptible to molecular isobaric interferences that limit their overall sensitivity. In contrast, accelerator mass spectrometry is insensitive to molecular interferences and we have therefore begun developing a method for determination of {sup 90}Sr by accelerator mass spectrometry. Despite a pervasive interference from {sup 90}Zr, our initial development has yielded an instrumental background of {approx} 10{sup 8} atoms (75 mBq) per sample. Further refinement of our system (e.g., redesign of our detector, use of alternative target materials) is expected to push the background below 10{sup 6} atoms, close to the theoretical limit for AMS. Once we have refined our system and developed suitable sample preparation protocols, we will utilize our capability in applications to homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
945145
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-402381
TRN: US0900768
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B: Beam Interactions with Material and Atoms, vol. 266, N/A, May 30, 2008, pp. 2242-2245
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 266
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOCIMETRY; 38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ACCELERATORS; ATOMS; HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; MONITORING; PROCESSING; SAMPLE PREPARATION; SECURITY; SENSITIVITY; STRONTIUM 90; TARGETS

Citation Formats

Tumey, S J, Brown, T A, Hamilton, T F, and Hillegonds, D J. Accelerator mass spectrometry of Strontium-90 for homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health. United States: N. p., 2008. Web. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2008.03.088.
Tumey, S J, Brown, T A, Hamilton, T F, & Hillegonds, D J. Accelerator mass spectrometry of Strontium-90 for homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2008.03.088
Tumey, S J, Brown, T A, Hamilton, T F, and Hillegonds, D J. 2008. "Accelerator mass spectrometry of Strontium-90 for homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2008.03.088. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/945145.
@article{osti_945145,
title = {Accelerator mass spectrometry of Strontium-90 for homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health},
author = {Tumey, S J and Brown, T A and Hamilton, T F and Hillegonds, D J},
abstractNote = {Strontium-90 is one of the most hazardous materials managed by agencies charged with protecting the public from radiation. Traditional radiometric methods have been limited by low sample throughput and slow turnaround times. Mass spectrometry offers the advantage of shorter analysis times and the ability to measure samples immediately after processing, however conventional mass spectrometric techniques are susceptible to molecular isobaric interferences that limit their overall sensitivity. In contrast, accelerator mass spectrometry is insensitive to molecular interferences and we have therefore begun developing a method for determination of {sup 90}Sr by accelerator mass spectrometry. Despite a pervasive interference from {sup 90}Zr, our initial development has yielded an instrumental background of {approx} 10{sup 8} atoms (75 mBq) per sample. Further refinement of our system (e.g., redesign of our detector, use of alternative target materials) is expected to push the background below 10{sup 6} atoms, close to the theoretical limit for AMS. Once we have refined our system and developed suitable sample preparation protocols, we will utilize our capability in applications to homeland security, environmental monitoring, and human health.},
doi = {10.1016/j.nimb.2008.03.088},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/945145}, journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B: Beam Interactions with Material and Atoms, vol. 266, N/A, May 30, 2008, pp. 2242-2245},
number = ,
volume = 266,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Mar 03 00:00:00 EST 2008},
month = {Mon Mar 03 00:00:00 EST 2008}
}

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