Applications of a Glove-Box ICP-MS for the Analysis of Nuclear Materials

Abstract

The relatively new analytical technique, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), has been used for the analysis of nuclear materials stemming from different parts of the nuclear fuel cycle. The original instrument has been modified in order to work with radioactive materials in a glove box. The plasma torch and vacuum interface are situated inside the glove box while the mass spectrometer and associated electronics are outside. Samples analysed include fresh nuclear fuels (natural impurities), spent fuels (fission products and actinides), reprocessing solutions (minor actinides) and leachates of spent fuel and high level waste glasses (natural elements, fission products and actinides).

The key role of atomic spectrometry in radiation protection

“…Matrix effect Excellent simultaneous multielement analysis ability Normal pressure sample introduction On-line separation and analysis ICP-MS was developed by combining an inductively coupled plasma source at normal pressure with mass spectrometry. 25 Since its rst commercial introduction at the Pittsburgh Conference in 1983, ICP-MS has been frequently used for the accurate and precise determination of radionuclides in nuclear material samples, 26,27 radioactive waste samples, [28][29][30] environmental samples, [31][32][33] geological samples, 34,35 and biological samples. [36][37][38][39] ICP-MS has great advantages due to its relatively low cost, easy sample introduction and high sample throughput when compared with other mass spectrometric methods.…”

Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry of Actinide Dioxides: ThO2, UO2, NpO2, PuO2 and AmO2

“…-has motivated the application of use of ICP-excitation of volatilized material with atomic ion detection by mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) [8]. Altematively, excited neutral atoms and ions in the TCP plasma can be detected by emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).…”

Optimisation of the operating conditions of a MC-ICP-MS for the isotopic analysis of gadolinium in spent nuclear fuel using experimental designs

“…Such an inventory includes not only the actinides such as U, Pu, Am and Cm but also fission products (isotopic composition and concentration). [1][2][3][4][5] Furthermore, gadolinium analysis as a fission product is of prime interest since some gadolinium isotopes have a high neutron absorption cross section. This ''neutron poison'' appears in the nuclear fuel as a result of fission reactions and hinders further fissions.…”