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Application of polyethylene glycol 2000 to remove silica in the determination of 239+240Pu and 238Pu in soil samples by alpha-spectrometry

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Abstract

A new method was developed for determination of 239+240Pu and 238Pu in environmental soil samples by a Microthene-TOA column and alpha-spectrometry. The improvement of the method was based on the new findings: (1) leaching efficiency comparison between fusion technique and direct HNO3 leaching, and (2) removal effect of silicates from soil leaching solution with PEG. The method was checked by analysing a certified reference material, showing good agreement with the recommended values. The detection limit was 2.1 mBq kg−1 for 239+240Pu and 1.3 mBq kg−1 for 238Pu when 20 g soil was analysed. Fifteen soil samples collected in Italy were analysed, and the obtained Pu yield was 79.5 ± 11.1%, being high and stable. The activity concentrations in the soil samples ranged from 0.034 to 0.447 Bq kg−1 for 239+240Pu and from 0.0013 to 0.0158 Bq kg−1 for 238Pu.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ISIN), Via Castel Romano 100, 00128, Rome, Italy

    Guogang Jia

  2. Roma Tre University, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy

    Jing Jia

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Jia, G., Jia, J. Application of polyethylene glycol 2000 to remove silica in the determination of 239+240Pu and 238Pu in soil samples by alpha-spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 332, 2643–2651 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08924-2

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