Detection of fuel release in a nuclear accident: a method for preconcentration and isolation of reactor-borne (239)Np using ion-specific extraction chromatography

Details

• Personal Author:
  Rosenberg BL ; Shozugawa K ; Steinhauser G
• Description:
  Although actinides are the most informative elements with respect to the nature of a nuclear accident, plutonium analysis is complicated by the background created by fallout from atmospheric nuclear explosions. Therefore, we propose (239)Np, a short-lived actinide that emits several gamma rays, as a preferred proxy. The aim of this study was to screen ion specific extraction chromatography resins (RE-, TEVA-, UTEVA-, TRU-, and Actinide-Resin) for the highest possible recovery and separation of trace amounts of (239)Np from samples with large activities of fission products such as radiocesium, radioiodine, and, most importantly, radiotellurium, the latter of which causes spectral interference in gamma spectrometry through overlapping peaks with (239)Np. The investigated environmental media for these separations were aqueous solutions simulating rainwater and soil. Spiked samples containing (239)Np and the aforementioned volatile radionuclides were separated through extraction chromatographic columns to ascertain the most effective means of separating (239)Np from other fission products for detection by gamma spectroscopy. We propose a method for nuclear accident preparedness based on the use of Eichrom's RE-Resin. The proposed method was found most effective for isolating (239)Np from interfering radionuclides in both aqueous solution and soil using 8 M HNO3 as the loading solution and H2O as the eluent. The RE-Resin outperforms the more commonly used TEVA-Resin because the TEVA-Resin showed a higher affinity for interfering radiotellurium and radioiodine. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Nuclear Power Plants Occupational Health Radiation Safety
• Keywords:
  Analytical-processes Nuclear-energy Nuclear-power-plants Nuclear-reactor-accidents Radiation-detection Radiation-detectors Radiation-measurement
• ISSN:
  0003-2700
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  87
• Issue:
  17
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047445
• Citation:
  Anal Chem 2015 Sep; 87(17):8651-8656
• Contact Point Address:
  Georg Steinhauser, Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, 1618 Campus Delivery, 80523 Fort Collins, Colorado United States
• Email:
  georg.steinhauser@colostate.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Colorado, Denver
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20070701
• Source Full Name:
  Analytical Chemistry
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:84606b60a7f036ba12091df429a5faa2077e8f41f65961f1e7233eceb514563e2965acf58d7e2d7bfcd3ab18b7d1ad59d70ab4fb0b88758b1941a35be9128b79
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202505/cdc_202505_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 547.92 KB ]