Uranium and plutonium analysis of nuclear material samples by multi-collector thermal ionisation mass spectrometry: Quality control, measurement uncertainty, and metrological traceability

Bürger, Stefan; Balsley, Steven D.; Baumann, S.; Berger, J. A.; Boulyga, Sergei F.; Cunningham, James A.; Kappel, Stefanie; Koepf, A.; Poths, J.

doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2011.11.016

Cited by 63 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 67 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Experimental details pertaining to the analytical methods TE [3,6,7,9], MTE [3,4,6,7,[12][13][14], and conventional [3,7,12] are available in the literature and will not be repeated here for brevity. All data presented here were obtained using the Thermo Fisher TRITON TM MC-TIMS instrument using the double filament geometry.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Note that this improvement in the quality of the minor isotope ratio measurements is achieved without compromising the quality of the major isotope ratio data. The MTE technique is extremely versatile for both Pu and U isotopic measurements by TIMS [12][13][14] and is the fit-for-purpose analytical technique when it comes to better precision and accuracy measurements of the major and minor isotope ratios of Pu and U.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Comparison of mass spectrometric methods (TE, MTE and conventional) for uranium isotope ratio measurements

Mathew

Haoszbek

2015

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The isotope ratio measurement techniquestotal evaporation (TE), modified total evaporation (MTE), and conventional-used for characterization measurements of certified reference materials by thermal ionization mass spectrometer instruments are compared. The advantages of each method, the fractionation profiles resulting from the measurement techniques, and factors affecting systematic components of bias in the isotope ratio measurements are discussed. The TE and MTE techniques yield major ratios and the conventional and MTE techniques yield minor ratios of comparable quality (in terms of precision and accuracy).

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of mass spectrometric methods (TE, MTE and conventional) for uranium isotope ratio measurements

Mathew

Haoszbek

2015

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Five ampoules of each fraction (REIMEP-17A and REIMEP-17B) were analysed in three replicate measurements. Isotope ratio measurements were performed by total evaporation (TE) on a Triton TIMS (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bremen) [10][11][12] after chemical purification by anion exchange. Details on the preparation and characterization of the test material can be found in the REIMEP-17 report [13].…”

Section: Test Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Results of the REIMEP-17 interlaboratory comparison for the measurement of the U and Pu amount content and isotope amount ratios in the synthetic dissolved spent nuclear fuel solution

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Reliable measurements are needed for the verification measures of States' declarations of their nuclear activities in line with international agreements and the EURATOM Treaty. Laboratories carrying out measurements of nuclear material need to follow stringent quality control concepts and are required to demonstrate their measurement capabilities on a regular and timely basis to legal and safeguards authorities. This includes participation in interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs). In the frame of the Regular European Interlaboratory Measurement Evaluation Programme (REIMEP), a new ILC (REIMEP-17) was jointly organized by the EC-Joint Research Centre-Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (JRC-IRMM) and EC-Joint Research Centre-Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU) for EURATOM and IAEA safeguards laboratories, nuclear plant operators and nuclear material laboratories. The focus in REIMEP-17 was on measurements of the uranium and plutonium amount contents and isotope amount ratios in synthetic dissolved spent nuclear fuel solutions. Participants received two test samples, REIMEP-17A and REIMEP-17B, with different uranium and plutonium amount contents. Laboratories were requested to report the results with associated uncertainties applying their standard measurement procedures and had the possibility to benchmark those results against the independent assigned (reference) values and the ones listed in the International Target Values for Measurement Uncertainties in Safeguarding Nuclear Materials (ITV2010). It can be concluded that the participants in REIMEP-17 performed well for the measurements of uranium and plutonium amount content in compliance with the respective ITV2010 values. In particular, the measurement performance for the isotope amount ratios was very satisfactory for both REIMEP-17 test samples. This confirms the measurement capabilities of laboratories in the field of nuclear material analysis and demonstrates that the stringent ITV2010 values are achievable targets under state-of-practice conditions. On the other hand, the spread of results for the minor uranium isotope amount ratios was larger. Moreover, for some of the measurands, differences in the measurement uncertainty estimations provided by laboratories were observed even when using the same instrumental technique. A summary of the participant results is presented and discussed in this paper.

show abstract

“…As a direct consequence of the observations made for all isotope amount ratios for the material IRMM-023, the homogeneity contributions of all the other materials were extrapolated using the following rules: -For the major isotope ratio n( 235 U)/n( 238 U) measured by the MTE and the DS methods, the relative homogeneity contribution (u bb, rel ) of all the materials is the same as the relative homogeneity contribution of IRMM-023 (u bb, rel = 0.0038 % for MTE measurements and 0.0013 % for DS measurements) for all isotope amount ratios. This is due to the fact that the homogeneity contribution is covered by the uncertainty originating from the applied methods [6,7,12,17]. -When the minor isotopes were measured using the Faraday cup connected to 10 12 X amplifiers, the absolute homogeneity contribution of IRMM-023 was extrapolated to the others materials.…”

Section: Homogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Certification of uranium hexafluoride reference materials for isotopic composition

Mialle

Stephan

Hennessy

et al. 2014

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The IRMM-019 to IRMM-029 series of uranium hexafluoride materials is certified for the isotopic composition. After conversion into uranyl nitrate solution, certification and homogeneity measurements were performed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Analyses were performed by Modified Total Evaporation and for some materials the major isotope amount ratio n( 235 U)/ n( 238 U) was measured using a n( 233 U)/n( 236 U) double spike. Measurements were confirmed by UF 6 gas source mass spectrometry. Major isotope amount ratios were certified with relative expanded uncertainties (k = 2) of 0.015-0.030 % and the minor isotope amount ratios n( 234 U)/n( 238 U) and n( 236 U)/n( 238 U) were certified with relative expanded uncertainties of 0.02-3 %.

show abstract

Uranium and plutonium analysis of nuclear material samples by multi-collector thermal ionisation mass spectrometry: Quality control, measurement uncertainty, and metrological traceability

Cited by 63 publications

References 67 publications

Comparison of mass spectrometric methods (TE, MTE and conventional) for uranium isotope ratio measurements

Comparison of mass spectrometric methods (TE, MTE and conventional) for uranium isotope ratio measurements

Results of the REIMEP-17 interlaboratory comparison for the measurement of the U and Pu amount content and isotope amount ratios in the synthetic dissolved spent nuclear fuel solution

Certification of uranium hexafluoride reference materials for isotopic composition

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About