Abstract
The age of plutonium is defined as the time since the last separation of the plutonium isotopes from their daughter nuclides. In this paper, a method for age determination based on analysis of 241Pu/241Am and 240Pu/236Pu using ICP-SFMS is described. Separation of Pu and Am was performed using a solid phase extraction procedure including UTEVA, TEVA, TRU and Ln-resins. The procedure provided separation factors adequate for this purpose. Age determinations were performed on two plutonium reference solutions from the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, IRMM081 (239Pu) and IRMM083 (240Pu), on sediment from the Marshall Islands (reference material IAEA367) and on soil from the Trinity test site (Trinitite). The measured ages based on the 241Am/241Pu ratio corresponded well with the time since the last parent-daughter separations of all the materials. The ages derived from the 236U/240Pu ratio were in agreement for the IRMM materials, but for IAEA367 the determination of 236U was interfered by tailing from 238U, and for Trinitite the determined age was biased due to formation of 236U in the detonation of the “Gadget”.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
M. Wallenius, G. Tamborini, L. Koch, Radiochim. Acta, 89 (2001) 55.
M. Wallenius, K. Mayer, Fresenius J. Anal. Chem., 366 (2000) 234.
M. Wallenius, Origin Determination of Reactor Produced Plutonium by Mass Spectrometric Techniques: Application to Nuclear Forensics Science and Safeguards, Academic Dissertation, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 2001, ISBN 951-45-9707-9.
S. Richter, A. Alonso, W. De Bolle, R. Wellum, P. D. P. Taylor, Intern. J. Mass Spectrom., 193 (1999) 9.
D. L. Donohue, J. Alloys Comp., 271 (1998) 11.
S. F. Boulyga, J. L. Matusevich, V. P. Mironov, V. P. Kudrjashov, L. Halicz, I. Segal, J. A. McLean, A. Montaser, J. S. Becker, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 17 (2002) 958.
S. F. Boulyga, J. S. Becker, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 17 (2002) 1143.
R. P. Keegan, R. J. Gehrke, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 59 (2003) 137.
D. West, A. C. Sherwood, Annal. Nucl. Energy, 8 (1981) 441.
J. N. Smith, K. M. Ellis, K. Neas, S. Dahle, D. Matishov, Deep-Sea Res. II, 42 (1995) 1471.
L. W. Cooper, J. M. Kelley, L. A. Bond, K. A. Orlandini, J. M. Grebmeier, Marine Chem., 69 (2000) 253.
J. M. Kelley, L. A. Bond, T. M. Beasley, Sci. Total Environ., 237/238 (1999) 483.
M. E. Ketterer, K. M. Hafner, J. W. Mietelski, J. Environ. Radioact., 73 (2004) 183.
M. E. Ketterer, K. M. Hafer, C. L. Link, D. Kolwaite, J. Wilson, J. W. Mietelski, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 19 (2004) 241.
M. Agarande, S. Benzoubir, P. Bouisset, D. Calmet, Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 55 (2001) 161.
S. F. Boulyga, D. Desideri, M. A. Meli, C. Testa, J. S. Becker, Intern. J. Mass Spectrom., 226 (2003) 329.
F. L. Moore, J. E. Hudgens Jr., Anal. Chem., 29 (1957) 1767.
E. P. Horwitz, M. L. Dietz, R. Chiarizia, H. Diamond, S. L. Maxwell III, M. R. Nelson, Anal. Chim. Acta, 310 (1995) 63.
U. Nygren, I. Rodushkin, C. Nilsson, D. C. Baxter, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 18 (2003) 1426.
P. K. Appelblad, D. C. Baxter, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 15 (2000) 557.
A. Sjögren, P. K. Appelblad, A. Tovedal, H. Ramebäck, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 20 (2005) 320.
Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, International Organisation for Standardisation, ISO-GUM, Geneva, Switzerland, 1995, ISBN 92-67-10188-9.
Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF), National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC), Brookhaven National Laboratory, 2005.
M. Berglund, Institute for Reference Material and Measurement, Geel, Belgium, personal communication.
United States Nuclear Tests; July 1945 through September 1992, DOE/NV-209-REV 15, United States Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, Las Vegas, Nevada, December 2000.
S. Ballestra, J. J. Lopez, J. Gastaud, D. Vas, V. Noshkin, Report on the Intercomparison Run IAEA-376, Radionuclides in Pacific Ocean Sediment, IAEA/AL/046, International Atomic Energy Agency, Monaco, 1991.
H. Diamond, P. R. Fields, C. S. Stevens, M. H. Studier, S. M. Fried, M. G. Inghram, D. C. Hess, G. L. Pyle, J. F. Mech, W. M. Manning, A. Ghiorso, S. G. Thompson, G. H. Higgins, G. T. Seaborg, C. I. Browne, H. L. Smith, R. W. Spence, Phys. Rev., 119 (1960) 2000.
L. E. De Geer, Sci. Global Secur., 2 (1991) 351.
M. C. Carter, A. A. Moghissi, Health Phys., 33 (1977) 55.
P. P. Parekh, T. M. Semkov, M. A. Torres, D. K. Haines, J. M. Cooper, P. M. Rosenberg, M. E. Kitto, J. Environ. Radioact., 85 (2006) 103.
R. L. Douglas, Levels and Distribution of Environmental Plutonium Around the Trinity Site, ORP/LV-78-3, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation Programs, Las Vegas Facility, Las Vegas, Nevada, October, 1978.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nygren, U., Ramebäck, H. & Nilsson, C. Age determination of plutonium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 272, 45–51 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6780-9
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6780-9