Journal
JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
Volume 295, Issue 1, Pages 99-104Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10967-012-1980-y
Keywords
Nuclear forensics; Laser ablation; LA-SF-ICP-MS; Uncertainty; Uranium; Isotope ratio
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This work describes the utilization of the laser ablation sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-SF-ICP-MS) technique for the determination of uranium isotopic composition in a highly enriched uranium sample. The measurements were performed on a continuous ablation with low energy density and defocusing, which demonstrated to be the optimum to reach the best signal stability. The measurements were improved by adjusting the following parameters: RF power, laser beam diameter, defocusing of laser beam, laser energy, laser energy density, auxiliary gas and sample gas. The U-235/U-238 isotope ratio with its respective uncertainty was 16.36 +/- A 0.15 and its precision was 1.12 % relative standard deviation. The uncertainties were estimated following the ISO GUM, with a confidence level of 95.45 % (k = 2.00). When compared the isotope abundances to the Round Robin Exercise Number 3's average results a difference of 0.46 % has been found and when compared to supplier's value, the difference was 0.41 %. The results presented by the measurements revealed that the LA-ICP-MS technique offers a rapid and accurate alternative to measure uranium isotope ratios without any sample preparation, since it allows carrying out the measurements straight on the sample. Moreover, it preserves the testimony-very important for safeguards and nuclear forensics purposes.
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