243Am certified reference material for mass spectrometry

Abstract

The Joint Research Centre, in cooperation with the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, produced a novel 243Am spike reference material for mass spectrometry. Americium solution with an isotopic composition of 88% 243Am and 12% 241Am was used as the source for the preparation of the spike material. The certified value of 5.696 (11) nmol g−1 for the amount content of 243Am and 0.136138 (54) for the n(241Am)/n(243Am) amount ratio were assigned. The assigned values from mass spectrometry were confirmed by alpha-particle spectrometry, alpha-particle counting at a defined solid angle, and high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Furthermore, an external validation of the certified values was obtained from the results of an interlaboratory comparison exercise, using this americium reference solution as the test sample.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials

“…The Fe isotope in magnetic particles and Au isotope in report probes were simultaneously and sensitively detected by the elemental mass spectrometry. 197 Au/ 57 Fe isotopic ratios and CEA concentrations showed good linearity in the range of 0.6-300 ng mL −1 , with a detection limit of 0.09 ng mL −1…”

“…In another study, Jakopic et al developed an 243 Am spiked CRM for mass spectrometry, with certied values for the 243 Am amount and 241 Am/ 243 Am ratio. 197 Values were conrmed using alpha spectrometry, dened solid angle alpha spectrometry and high resolution gamma spectrometry, with further validation through an inter-laboratory comparison exercise. 4.7.5 Difficult-to-measure radionuclides and stable elements.…”

“…Analysis was achieved using ICP-MS with an assortment of internal standards introduced as a mixture on-line rather than being spiked into individual samples. The internal standards used were 45 Sc for those elements with a mass up to and including 59 Co, 72 Ge for the analytes 62 Ni to 95 Mo, 125 Te for 101 Ru to 137 Ba, 175 Lu for the analytes 189 Os to 197 Au and 209 Bi for analytes with a higher mass. Any polyatomic interferences were removed through the introduction of helium at a ow rate of 5 mL min −1 into the collision/reaction chamber.…”

Rapid isotopic analysis of uranium, plutonium, and americium in post-detonation debris simulants by RIMS

“…No chemical separations were performed to remove natural U prior to actinide addition. These were designated BCR-2A, B, C, and D. Actinide isotopic standards CRM U630 (U), monoisotopic 237 Np, CRM 137 (Pu), and IRMM-0243 (Am) 16 solutions were added to the BCR-2x solutions in the quantities shown in Table 1. This suite of sample solutions was used in the development of other analytical methods in addition to the RIMS work presented here.…”

An isotope dilution mass spectrometry overview: tips and applications for the measurement of radionuclides

“…The Commission for the Establishment of Analytical Methods (CETAMA) is a unit of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), which has a goal of measurement quality improvement within the nuclear eld. 23,[55][56][57][58] The main activities of CETAMA are to develop and provide CRMs for nuclear analysis laboratories worldwide, to organize ILCs and to participate in the standardization of analytical methods. One of the CETAMA's working groups is dedicated to ID-MS which gathers several national and international scientic bodies (CEA, French Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Joint Research Centres (Europe), IAEA, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK)) that share their know-how in radionuclide analysis by ID-MS.…”