• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 1996

An optimized method for determining beta-emitting $^{241}Pu$ in the presence of alpha-emitting nuclides was developed using a liquid scintillation counting system. Pulse shape analysis (PSA) level was set using pulse-shape discrimination method and the $^{241}Pu$ counting channel was adjusted for maximum value of figure of merit using the 241pu standard source. The volume of scintillant was determined for the maximum value of counting efficiency. This optimized method has been applied to environmental samples to measure concentration of $^{241}Pu$ in soils and mosses. Also it has been identified the origin of Pu deposited in Korea from the activity ratio of $^{241}Pu/^{239,\;240}Pu$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05d
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• pp.82-87
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• 1996

An optimized method for determining beta-emitting $^{241}$ Pu in the presence of alpha-emitting nuclides was developed using a liquid scintillation counting system. PSA-level was setting using pulse-shape discrimination. The $^{241}$ Pu counting channel was adjusted for maximum value of FM using the $^{241}$ Pu standard source. The volume of scintillant was determined for the maximum value of counting efficiency. The optimized method of $^{241}$ Pu has been applied to environmental samples to measure concentration of $^{241}$ Pu in soils and mosses. Also it has been identified the origin of Pu deposited in Korea from the activity ratio $^{241}$ Pu / $^{239,240}$Pu.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.248-254
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• 2005

This paper presents a quantitative method of sequential separation of $^{90}Sr,\;^{241}Am$ and Pu nuclides with an anion exchange resin and a Sr-Spec resin. The Pu isotopes were purified with an anion exchange resin. The americium and strontium fractions were separated from the matrix elements with an oxalate co-precipitation method. Americium fraction was separated from the strontium fraction with iron co-precipitation method and purified from lanthanides with anion exchange resin. Strontium-90 was purified from other hindrance elements with the Sr-Spec resin after oxalate co-precipitation. The measurement of Pu and Am isotopes was carried out by an ${\alpha}$-spectrometer. Strontium-90 was measured by a liquid scintillation counter. The radiochemical procedure of $^{90}Sr,\;^{241}Am$ and Pu nuclides investigated in this study has been validated by application to IAEA-Reference soils.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.469-474
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• 2005

This paper presents a quantitative method of sequential separation of $^{90}Sr$, $^{241}Am$ and Pu radionuclides with an anion exchange resin and a Sr-Spec resin. The Pu isotopes were purified with an anion exchange resin. The americium and strontium fractions were separated from the matrix elements with an oxalate co-precipitation method. Americium fraction was separated from the strontium fraction with iron co-precipitation method and purified from lanthanides with anion exchange resin. Strontium-90 was purified from other hindrance elements with the Sr-Spec resin after oxalate co-precipitation. The measurement of Pu and Am isotopes was carried out by an ${\alpha}$-spectrometer. Strontium-90 was measured by a liquid scintillation counter. The radiochemical procedure of $^{90}Sr$, $^{241}Am$ and Pu radionuclides investigated in this study has been validated by application to IAEA-Reference soils.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.407-408
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• 2009

In this work, a quantitative method of the sequential separation of $^{90}Pu,\;^{90}Sr$ and $^{241}Am$ nuclides was developed in environmental soil samples using by an anion exchange resin connected with a Sr Spec resin. The sequential methods of Pu, $^{90}Sr$ and $^{241}Am$ nuclides can reduce analysis cost and time. With the sequential methodupdated in this study, the activity concentrations of $^{239,240}Pu,\;^{90}Sr$ and $^{241}Am$ in the IAEA reference materials were close to the reference values reported by the IAEA.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.140-144
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• 2018

Isotopic analyses of plutonium and low-enriched uranium mixtures with particle sizes of $0.6-3.3{\mu}m$ were performed using thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating method to verify its effectiveness for the accurate analysis of minor isotopes without sample pretreatment. The mixed particles used in this study were prepared from a mixed solution of plutonium (SRM 947) and uranium (U010, $^{235}U$ 1% enriched) reference materials. The isotope ratios for plutonium in the individual mixed particles, including $^{238}Pu/^{239}Pu$, $^{241}Pu/^{239}Pu$ as well as $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$, and $^{242}Pu/^{239}Pu$, were in good agreement with the certified values despite the isobaric interference of $^{238}U$ and $^{241}Am$. The isotope ratios for uranium in the mixed particles also agreed well with the certified values within the range of error. However, the isotope ratios for minor isotopes, such as $^{234}U$ and $^{236}U$, in the particles with diameters of less than approximately $1.8{\mu}m$ could not be measured because numbers of $^{234}U$ and $^{236}U$ atoms in analyzed particles are too low. These results indicate that thermal ionization mass spectrometry with a continuous heating method is applicable for the analysis of trace amounts of plutonium isotopes, including $^{238}Pu$ and $^{241}Pu$, despite the presence of the respective isobars $^{238}U$ and $^{241}Am$ in the microsamples.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.514-519
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• 2004

Soil samples collected from around the BOMARC Missile Site were measured for their activity concentrations and isotopic ratios of Pu and Am isotopes with particle sizes. The activity concentrations of Pu and Am in the BOMARC soil were remarkably higher than the fallout levels, and the activities decreased nearly exponentially with an increasing particle size of the soil due to a decreasing surface area. The activity ratios of Pu-238 / Pu-239, 240, Pu-241 / Pu-239, 240 and Am-241 / Pu-239, 240 observed in the BOMARC soil were much lower than those attributed to the nuclear reprocess plants and the Chernobyl fallout. Also, the atomic ratio of Pu-240 / Pu-239 in the BOMARC soil was remarkably lower than the fallout value influenced by the nuclear weapons testing and the Chernobyl accident. The atomic ratio of Pu-240 / Pu-239 was so close to the value of the weapons grade Pu released from the crash of a B52 plane in the Thule of the Greenland, such that the Pu isotopes detected in the BOMARC soil could have originated from the weapons grade plutonium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.351-357
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• 2003

Transuranic elements such as Pu, Am and Cm in synthetic solution of spent nuclear fuel samples were determined by electrodeposition followed by alpha-spectrometry after separation using anion exchange and extraction chromatography in order to determine the transuranic elements in radwaste samples from nuclear power plants. Plutonium was separated by 12M HC1-0.1M HI as an eluent on anion exchange column. As a second step Am and Cm were separated in a group by DTPA-Lactic acid as the eluent on HDEHP coated column. The nuclides of $^{239}Pu$, $^{241}Am$및 $^{244}Cm$ separated were determined by alpha-spectrometry after electrodeposition in 0.1M $NaHSo_4$-0.53M $Na_2SO_4$buffer solution as an electrolyte. The recovery yields of $^{239}Pu$, $^{241}Am$및 $^{244}Cm$ were 83.8%, 85.2% and 86.3%, respectively, from the synthetic solution containing uranium and non-radioactive metal elements.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.80-83
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• 2011

Isotope ratio analysis of nuclear materials in individual particles is of great importance for nuclear safeguards. Although secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) are utilized for the analysis of individual uranium particles, few studies were conducted for the analysis of individual uranium-plutonium mixed oxide particles. In this study, we applied SIMS and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to the isotope ratio analysis of individual U-Pu mixed oxide particles. In the analysis of individual U-Pu particles prepared from mixed solution of uranium and plutonium standard reference materials, accurate $^{235}U/^{238}U$, $^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$ and $^{242}Pu/^{239}Pu$ isotope ratios were obtained with both methods. However, accurate analysis of $^{241}Pu/^{239}Pu$ isotope ratio was impossible, due to the interference of the $^{241}Am$ peak to the $^{241}Pu$ peak. In addition, it was indicated that the interference of the $^{238}UH$ peak to the $^{239}Pu$ peak has a possibility to prevent accurate analysis of plutonium isotope ratios. These problems would be avoided by a combination of ICP-MS and chemical separation of uranium, plutonium and americium in individual U-Pu particles.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 1981

Plutionum, neptunium, and uranium isotopes which were produced in the interaction of $^{136}$ Xe and $^{244}$ Pu are separated and determined their cross sections. The cross sections are: $\sigma$($^{245}$ Pu)=66 mb, $\sigma$($^{243}$ Pu)=57 mb, $\sigma$($^{246}$ Pu)=6.0 mb, $\sigma$($^{239}$ Np)=15 mb, $\sigma$($^{240}$ U)=12 mb, $\sigma$($^{245}$ U)=6.4 mb respectively.