Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparison of niobium-93m results obtained by two independent destructive analytical procedures and measured by low energy gamma spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article presents two newly developed radiochemical procedures for the destructive analysis of niobium plates irradiated in the core of water-water energetic nuclear reactor (WWER), as well as determination of the specific activity of the generated during the irradiation metastable isotope 93mNb. The procedures were developed and tested using standard samples containing 93mNb and 94Nb. Measurements were made by low energy gamma spectrometry (LEGS) and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and the obtained data were verified by interlaboratory comparison. All the results were compared with the calculated ones to confirm and evaluate the accuracy and superiority of the two measurement methods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data, supporting this study are not publicly available in its full range, because it represents sensitive information about the safety operation of the nuclear power plant. For more information you can contact to ldobrev@inrne.bas.bg.

References

  1. Coursey BM, Vaninbroukx R, Reher D, Hutchinson JMR, Mullen PA, Debertin K, Gehrke RJ, Rogers JW, Koeppen LD, Smith D (1990) The standardization of 93mNb for use as a reference material for reactor neutron dosimetry. Nucl Ins Methods Phys Res Sect A: Accel, Spectrom, Det Assoc Equip 290:537–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(90)90574-P

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ichikawa M, Tanaka S, Chatani K (2023) Fast neutron fluence estimation by measurement of 93mNb and 93Mo. EPJ Web Conf 278:01004. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202327801004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Espartero AG, SuárezRodrı́guez M JA (1998) Determination of 93mNb and 94mNb in medium and low level radioactive wastes. Appl Radiat Isot 49:1277–1282

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Baers LB, Hasanen EK (1994) ASTM Spec Tech Publ 1228:205–214

    Google Scholar 

  5. Serén T, Kekki T (2003) Retrospective dosimetry based on niobium extraction and counting - VTT's RETROSPEC project, ESPOO 2003, VTT Research Notes 2203: 7–36. https://www.vttresearch.com/sites/default/files/pdf/tiedotteet/2003/T2203.pdf

  6. Ungerer MJ, Van der Westhuizen DJ, Lachmann G, Krieg HM (2013) Separation of tantalum and niobium by solvent extraction, MSc Thesis, Northwest University, Potchefstroom Campus http://hdl.handle.net/10394/9850

  7. Paulus W et al (1998) Extraction of the fluoride-, chloride- and bromide complexes of the elements Nb, Ta, Pa and 105 into aliphatic amines. J Alloy Compd 271–273:292–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rhoades WA, Simpson DB (1997) The TORT three-dimensional discrete ordinates neutron/photon transports code (TORT version 3) United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/582265

  9. Trkov A et al. (2014) International Reactor Dosimetry and Fusion File IRDFF v.1.05 (Cross-section data supersede IRDF-2002 and all previous versions of IRDFF)

  10. Hoffmann J (1988) Experience with the sources of contamination when preparing samples for the analysis of trace elements. Fresenius Z Anal Chem 331:220–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Broda R, Cassette P, Kossert K (2007) Radionuclide metrology using liquid scintillation counting. Metrologia 44:S36. https://doi.org/10.1088/0026-1394/44/4/S06

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Osváth S, Vajda N, Molnár Z (2008) Determination of long-lived Nb isotopes in nuclear power plant wastes. Appl Radiat Isot 66(1):24–27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Bulgarian National Science Fund, contract number КП-06-H39/14 (12.12.2019) “Research of new approaches in the activation analysis and radiochemistry of technogenic radionuclides important for man and environment.” In memoriam of Dobromir Dimitrov, whose dedicated work was a major part from the successful completion of this article.

Funding

This work was supported by the Bulgarian National Science Fund under contract number КП-06-H39/14 (12.12.2019) “Research of new approaches in the activation analysis and radiochemistry of technogenic radionuclides important for man and environment.”

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, 1784, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Lyuben Dobrev, Dobromir Dimitrov, Mladen Mitev, Tzvetana Nonova, Elena Geleva-Dimitrova, Bozhidar Slavchev, Desislava Dimitrova, Zahari Zahariev & Srgjan Krstevski

Authors
  1. Lyuben Dobrev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dobromir Dimitrov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mladen Mitev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tzvetana Nonova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Elena Geleva-Dimitrova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Bozhidar Slavchev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Desislava Dimitrova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Zahari Zahariev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Srgjan Krstevski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lyuben Dobrev.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dobrev, L., Dimitrov, D., Mitev, M. et al. Comparison of niobium-93m results obtained by two independent destructive analytical procedures and measured by low energy gamma spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 333, 297–304 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09236-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09236-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation