Measurement of actinides on a compact AMS system working at 300 kV

Abstract

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an efficient method to measure long-lived radioisotopes, found in very low concentrations in the environment. A new generation of AMS has been developed during the last years. Here it will be shown that even the heaviest elements and isotopes can be measured with such compact AMS systems. We demonstrate that the routine measurement of Pu isotopes in environmental samples at a level of a few femto-grams is possible. Even the measurement of 236U/238U seems feasible at levels present in natural uranium ore.