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Separation of uranium and plutonium isotopes for measurement by multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy

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Abstract

Uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) isotopes in coral soils, contaminated by nuclear weapons testing in the northern Marshall Islands, were isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and analyzed by mass spectrometry. The soil samples were spiked with 233U and 242Pu tracers, dissolved in minerals acids, and U and Pu isotopes isolated and purified on commercially available ion-exchange columns. The ion-exchange technique employed a TEVA® column coupled to a UTEVA® column. U and Pu isotope fractions were then further isolated using separate elution schemes, and the purified fractions containing U and Pu isotopes analyzed sequentially using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MCICP-MS). High precision measurements of 234U/235U, 238U/235U, 236U/235U, and 240Pu/239Pu in soil samples were attained using the described methodology and instrumentation, and provide a basis for conducting more detailed assessments of the behavior and transfer of uranium and plutonium in the environment.

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Acknowledgments

This work performed under the auspices of the US Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA2734.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, PO Box 808, 94551-0808, Livermore, CA, USA

    R. E. Martinelli, T. F. Hamilton & S. R. Kehl

  2. Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, PO Box 808, 94551-0808, Livermore, CA, USA

    R. W. Williams

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  1. R. E. Martinelli
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  2. T. F. Hamilton
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  3. R. W. Williams
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  4. S. R. Kehl
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Correspondence to R. E. Martinelli.

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Martinelli, R.E., Hamilton, T.F., Williams, R.W. et al. Separation of uranium and plutonium isotopes for measurement by multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 282, 343–347 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0150-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-009-0150-3

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