Sequential analyses of actinides in large-size soil and sediment samples with total sample dissolution

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity Vol. 187; pp. 73 - 80
• Main Authors: Luo, Maoyi, Xing, Shan, Yang, Yonggang, Song, Lijuan, Ma, Yan, Wang, Yadong, Dai, Xiongxin, Happel, Steffen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Actinides; Lithium metaborate fusion; Sediment; Sequential separation; Soil; Soil; Lithium metaborate fusion; Actinides; Sediment; Sequential separation
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.01.028

There is a growing demand for the determination of actinides in soil and sediment samples for environmental monitoring and tracing, radiological protection, and nuclear forensic reasons. A total sample dissolution method based on lithium metaborate fusion, followed by sequential column chromatography separation, was developed for simultaneous determination of Pu, Am and Cm isotopes in large-size environmental samples by alpha spectrometry and mass spectrometric techniques. The overall recoveries of both Pu and Am for the entire procedure were higher than 70% for large-size soil samples. The method was validated using 20 g of soil samples spiked with known amounts of 239Pu and 241Am as well as the certified reference materials IAEA-384 (Fangataufa Lagoon sediment) and IAEA-385 (Irish Sea sediment). All the measured results agreed very well with the expected values. •A method for simultaneous determination of Pu/Np and Am/Cm isotopes in large-size soil and sediment sample was developed.•A lithium metaborate fusion procedure was optimized for a complete dissolution of the samples containing refractory actinide materials.•A sequential column chromatography separation approach was developed to remove the interfering radionuclides for actinide analysis.