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Determination of plutonium-240/239 ratios in low activity samples using high resolution alpha-spectrometry

  • Actinides in Biological and Environmental Systems
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Abstract

Isotopic ratios of240Pu/239Pu in environmental samples can provide improtant data for identifying and confirming contamination sources. One low cost alternative for performing this analysis uses a combination of high resolution alpha-spectroscopy and spectrum analysis software. This method uses unmodified, commercially available equipment and software. Plutonium alpha-spectra were gathered with an alpha-spectrometer system set up for low-level actinide determination. Experimental spectra were imported into a commercially available data analysis program, and fit with mathematical descriptions of alpha-peaks using the Marquardt-Levenberg algorithm. The spectra was then deconvoluted into its239Pu and240Pu components and the activity ratio was calculated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Washington State University, P.O. Box 644630, 99164-4630, Pullman, WA, USA

    S. P. LaMont & R. H. Filby

  2. United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries, Washington State University Nuclear Radiation Center, 99164-1300, Pullman, WA, USA

    S. E. Glover

Authors
  1. S. P. LaMont
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  2. S. E. Glover
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  3. R. H. Filby
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LaMont, S.P., Glover, S.E. & Filby, R.H. Determination of plutonium-240/239 ratios in low activity samples using high resolution alpha-spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 234, 195–199 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389771

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389771

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