Analysis of plutonium isotope ratios including238Pu/239Pu in individual U-Pu mixed oxide particles by means of a combination of alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS.
Isotope ratio analysis of individual uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) mixed oxide particles contained within environmental samples taken from nuclear facilities is proving to be increasingly important in the field of nuclear safeguards. However, isobaric interferences, such as238U with238Pu and241Am with241Pu, make it difficult to determine plutonium isotope ratios in mass spectrometric measurements. In the present study, the isotope ratios of238Pu/239Pu,240Pu/239Pu,241Pu/239Pu, and242Pu/239Pu were measured for individual Pu and U-Pu mixed oxide particles by a combination of alpha spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). As a consequence, we were able to determine the240Pu/239Pu,241Pu/239Pu, and242Pu/239Pu isotope ratios with ICP-MS after particle dissolution and chemical separation of plutonium with UTEVA resins. Furthermore,238Pu/239Pu isotope ratios were able to be calculated by using both the238Pu/(239Pu+240Pu) activity ratios that had been measured through alpha spectrometry and the240Pu/239Pu isotope ratios determined through ICP-MS. Therefore, the combined use of alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS is useful in determining plutonium isotope ratios, including238Pu/239Pu, in individual U-Pu mixed oxide particles.
Research Group for Safeguards Analytical Chemistry, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4, Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan. Electronic address: esaka.fumitaka@jaea.go.jp.
Fumitaka
F
Esaka
Research Group for Safeguards Analytical Chemistry, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4, Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
Kenichiro
K
Yasuda
Research Group for Safeguards Analytical Chemistry, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4, Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Suzuki
Research Group for Safeguards Analytical Chemistry, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4, Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
Yutaka
Y
Miyamoto
Research Group for Safeguards Analytical Chemistry, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 2-4, Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.
Masaaki
M
Magara
Alpha spectrometry; ICP-MS; Individual particles; Isotope ratio; Plutonium