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Rapid determination of Pu isotopes for decommission concrete samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

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Abstract

Plutonium is one of the key radionuclides in nuclear decommission. In this study, a rapid method was developed to analyze Pu for concrete samples using total digestion, CaF2/LaF3 coprecipitation, extraction chromatography using TEVA and DGA resins, and ICP-MS measurement. The whole analytical process can be achieved within 2 days, with sufficiently high decontamination factors of interfering elements and high Pu chemical recovery (57–93%). The high throughput (22 samples/2 days) and low LODs (0.008 mBq g−1 for 239Pu and 0.02 mBq g−1 for 240Pu) allow this method to effectively detect low level Pu contamination in concrete samples.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the Joint Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China and Academy of Engineering Physics (Grant No. U1730245) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21607139).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Laboratory of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Decommission Technology, Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, 621900, China

    Zhongtang Wang, Wei Wen, Liang Du, Ping Wang, Jinxian Lin, Yun Xie & Zhaoyi Tan

  2. Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center of Ministry of Environmental Protection, Beijing, 100082, China

    Wei Quan

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  1. Zhongtang Wang
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  2. Wei Wen
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  3. Wei Quan
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  4. Liang Du
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  5. Ping Wang
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  6. Jinxian Lin
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  7. Yun Xie
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  8. Zhaoyi Tan
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Correspondence to Zhongtang Wang.

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Wang, Z., Wen, W., Quan, W. et al. Rapid determination of Pu isotopes for decommission concrete samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 316, 411–417 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5756-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5756-x

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