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Dowell SM, Barlow TS, Chenery SR, Humphrey OS, Isaboke J, Blake WH, Osano O, Watts MJ. Optimisation of plutonium separations using TEVA cartridges and ICP-MS/MS analysis for applicability to large-scale studies in tropical soils. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:4226-4235. [PMID: 37584161 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01030a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of plutonium (Pu) in soil samples can inform the understanding of soil erosion processes globally. However, there are specific challenges associated for analysis in tropical soils and so an optimal analytical methodology ensuring best sensitivity is critical. This method aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of sample preparation and analysis of Pu isotopes in African soils, considering the environmental and cost implications applicable to low-resource laboratories. The separation procedure builds upon previous work using TEVA columns, further demonstrating their usefulness for the reduction of uranium (U) interference in ICP-MS analysis with enhanced selectivity for Pu. Here several steps were optimised to enhance Pu recovery, reducing method blank concentration, and improving the separation efficiency through the determination of the elution profiles of U and Pu. The elimination of the complexing agent in the eluent, increased the spike recovery by improving matrix tolerance of the plasma, and simplified the separation procedure, improving throughput by 20%. The subsequent method was validated through the analysis of Certified Reference Material IAEA-384, where high accuracy and improved precision of measurement were demonstrated (measured value 114 ± 12 versus certified value 108 ± 13 Bq kg-1). Optimisation of the column separation, along with the analysis of the samples using O2 gas in ICP-MS/MS mode to mass shift Pu isotopes away from interfering molecular U ions provided a simple, robust, and cost-effective method with low achievable method detection limits of 0.18 pg kg-1 239+240Pu, applicable to the detection of ultra-trace fallout Pu in African soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M Dowell
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Thomas S Barlow
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Simon R Chenery
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Olivier S Humphrey
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
| | - Job Isaboke
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - William H Blake
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Odipo Osano
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Michael J Watts
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UK.
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Rapid concentration and isotopic measurements of ultra-trace 235U fission products with comparison to an ORIGEN isotope depletion model. Talanta 2019; 205:120079. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.06.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Popov L. Determination of plutonium isotopes in environmental samples by extraction chromatography with triisooctylamine - polyethylene resin. Appl Radiat Isot 2019; 146:48-56. [PMID: 30753984 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Method for determination of plutonium isotopes in various environmental samples is presented. The separation and purification of plutonium is attained by extraction chromatography with triisooctylamine - polyethylene resin in nitric and hydrochloric acid media. Plutonium is measured by alpha-particle spectrometry after electrodeposition on a stainless steel disk. The analytical quality was checked by analyzing reference materials with different matrices from IAEA (Soil-6, IAEA-375, IAEA-384, IAEA-414) and NPL (AL-2009, AL-2010, AL-2011, AL-2013, AB-2014). The major advantages of the method are the low cost of the analysis, high radiochemical yields and high decontamination factors from the matrix elements, natural and man-made radionuclides.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Popov
- Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, Safety Department, Radioecological Monitoring, 3321, Kozloduy, Bulgaria.
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Rapid measurements of 235U fission product isotope ratios using an online, high-pressure ion chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry protocol with comparison to isotopic depletion models. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06438-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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5
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Development of a fast and efficient analytical technique for the isotopic analysis of fission and actinide elements in environmental matrices. J Chromatogr A 2018; 1587:155-165. [PMID: 30591247 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2018.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An automated separation-direct analysis scheme has been developed to determine both the concentration and isotopic composition of a suite of elements down to the low picogram level in a complex silicon-based matrix. With the ultimate goal of performing rapid analysis of materials with non-natural isotopic compositions, RAPID (Rapid Analysis of Post-Irradiation Debris) consists of a high-pressure ion chromatography system directly coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The RAPID method achieves matrix exclusion and direct online analysis of the elementally separated components, yielding precise isotopic compositions for up to 40 elements in less than one hour per sample. When combined with isotope dilution, this approach shows the potential to yield elemental concentrations with low uncertainties, providing a rapid analytical method that encompasses group I and II metals, transition metals, refractory metals, platinum group metals, lanthanides, and actinides. The method development, robustness, sensitivity, uncertainties, and potential applications in nuclear and environmental measurements will be discussed in this paper.
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Determination of plutonium isotopes in environmental samples with triisooctylamine and alpha spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-016-4897-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Ežerinskis Ž, Hou XL, Druteikienė R, Puzas A, Šapolaitė J, Gvozdaitė R, Gudelis A, Buivydas Š, Remeikis V. Distribution and source of (129)I, (239)(,240)Pu, (137)Cs in the environment of Lithuania. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 151 Pt 1:166-173. [PMID: 26476410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Fifty five soil samples collected in the Lithuania teritory in 2011 and 2012 were analyzed for (129)I, (137)Cs and Pu isotopes in order to investigate the level and distribution of artificial radioactivity in Lithuania. The activity and atomic ratio of (238)Pu/((239,24)0)Pu, (129)I/(127)I and (131)I/(137)Cs were used to identify the origin of these radionuclides. The (238)Pu/(239+240)Pu and (240)Pu/(239)Pu ratios in the soil samples analyzed varied in the range of 0.02-0.18 and 0.18-0.24, respectively, suggesting the global fallout as the major source of Pu in Lithuania. The values of 10(-9) to 10(-6) for (129)I/(127)I atomic ratio revealed that the source of (129)I in Lithuania is global fallout in most cases though several sampling sites shows a possible impact of reprocessing releases. Estimated (129)I/(131)I ratio in soil samples from the southern part of Lithuania shows negligible input of the Chernobyl fallout. No correlation of the (137)Cs and Pu isotopes with (129)I was observed, indicating their different sources terms. Results demonstrate uneven distribution of these radionuclides in the Lithuanian territory and several sources of contamination i.e. Chernobyl accident, reprocessing releases and global fallout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ž Ežerinskis
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - X L Hou
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - R Druteikienė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - A Puzas
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - J Šapolaitė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - R Gvozdaitė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - A Gudelis
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Š Buivydas
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - V Remeikis
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
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