The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea (암석학회지)

The Petrological Society of Korea (한국암석학회)
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Determination of Uranium Concentration in Solid- and Liquid-state Geological Materials by Fission Track Registration Technique and its Applicability

피션트랙 검출기법에 의한 고체 및 액체상태 지질물질의 우라늄 정량과 그 적용성

  • Shin, Seong-Cheon (Geologic Environment Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources)
  • 신성천 (한국지질자원연구원 지구환경연구본부)
  • Received : 2015.04.21
  • Accepted : 2015.06.11
  • Published : 2015.06.30
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Abstract

The fission track registration techniques for accurate determinations of uranium in solid- and liquid-state geological materials were recommended and their applicability were examined. The determination of uranium can be achieved by optical counting of neutron-induced fission tracks of $^{235}U$ registered on solid-state track detectors under high magnification. In a dry registration method using powdered pellets of rocks (e.g., granite and coal) showing good uranium-affinity, it was not easy to decide an overall mean concentration over the total sample owing to track-clusters caused by frequent presence of uranium-bearing minerals. Separate scanning for homogeneous and track-clustered parts may be an alternative choice. Assuring the homogeneity over the whole sample, high reproducibilities were confirmed both from duplicate detections using mica and Lexan polycarbonate detectors and from multiple measurements at different thermal neutron fluences. The wet registration method using sealed quartz tubes is recommended to overcome the common heterogeneity in uranium concentrations of $10^1ppm$ and more. Adopting the wet registration, the uranium homogeneity was recovered below the $10^0ppm$ level and the lower detection limit was proved to reach without difficulty the $10^2ppb$ (i.e. $ng\;g^{-1}$) level.

피션트랙 검출에 의해 고체 및 액체상태 지질물질 내 우라늄을 정밀정량하는 최적기법을 제안하고 그 적용성을 검증하였다. 우라늄 정량은 중성자 조사에 의해 유도시킨 $^{235}U$의 핵분열 흔적을 트랙 디텍터에 기록하여 고배율 현미경 하에서 계수함으로써 이루어진다. 우라늄-친화력이 좋은 암석(예: 화강암, 석탄)을 분말 펠릿시료로 만들어 건식 검출하면, 그다지 높지 않은 우라늄함량(<5 ppm, 즉 ${\mu}g\;g^{-1}$)에서도 빈번하게 함유된 함-우라늄광물에 기인한 트랙 군집현상으로 인해 시료의 전체평균 함량 결정이 쉽지 않았으며, 트랙 균질부와 군집부를 별도로 검토해야 한다. 시료의 균질성이 유지된다면 백운모-Lexan 디텍터에 의한 중복 측정과 여러 차례 중성자 조사에 의한 반복 측정에서 높은 재현성이 확인되었다. 건고 액체시료 경우에 $10^1ppm$ 수준 및 그 이상의 우라늄함량에서 흔히 나타나는 불균질 현상을 극복하기 위해, 진공 석영튜브를 이용한 습식 검출법을 제안한다. 습식 검출에서 우라늄 균질성은 $10^0ppm$ 수준 이하에서 회복되며, 측정하한은 $10^2ppb$ (i.e. $ng\;g^{-1}$) 수준까지 무난한 것으로 입증되었다.

Keywords

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