Abstract
The rapid measurement of plutonium isotopes in steel samples is very important in the event of a radiological emergency as well as for the characterization of nuclear decommissioning samples. A new method for the determination of plutonium isotopes in steel samples has been developed at the Savannah River Environmental Laboratory. The new method employs a rugged acid digestion method that includes hydrofluoric acid, followed by a single preconcentration step to rapidly preconcentrate the plutonium isotopes and remove most of the dissolved steel sample matrix. A fusion option improves ruggedness when soil or concrete is present and can be implemented after the steel dissolution. The Pu isotopes are separated using an extraction chromatographic resin and measured by alpha spectrometry. The method can also be adapted for measurement by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This approach has a sample preparation time of 6–8 h for steel samples.
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