title: Static, Mixed-Array Total Evaporation for Improved Quantitation of Plutonium Minor Isotopes in Small Samples.
abstract: Actinide isotope measurements are a critical signature capability in the modern nuclear forensics "toolbox", especially when interrogating anthropogenic constituents in real-world scenarios. Unfortunately, established methodologies, such as traditional total evaporation via thermal ionization mass spectrometry, struggle to confidently measure low abundance isotope ratios (<10(-6)) within already limited quantities of sample. Herein, we investigate the application of static, mixed array total evaporation techniques as a straightforward means of improving plutonium minor isotope measurements, which have been resistant to enhancement in recent years because of elevated radiologic concerns. Results are presented for small sample (~20 ng) applications involving a well-known plutonium isotope reference material, CRM-126a, and compared with traditional total evaporation methods. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll Rd., Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA. floyd@lanl.gov.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll Rd., Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Byerly
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll Rd., Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Mariam R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 30 Bikini Atoll Rd., Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Khalil J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Spencer
mesh_terms: D007554:Isotopes; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011005:Plutonium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D011005:Plutonium
keywords: Nuclear forensics; Plutonium; Thermal ionization mass spectrometry; Total evaporation