Improved radioanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of Th, U, Np, Pu and Am(Cm) on a single TRU column by alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS

Abstract

Abstract A radioanalytical method based on the use of a single TRU extraction chromatographic column and selective, on-column oxidation state adjustment of actinides was developed for the determination of Th, U, Np, Pu and Am(Cm) in environmental samples (such as sediment and swipe samples). The procedure of Vajda et al. [1] was further investigated and optimized focusing on the separation of Th, U and Np. The improved method combines two measurement techniques — alpha spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) – which allows to obtain more reliable information on a wider range of isotopes: 228Th, 230Th, 232Th, 234U, 235U, (236U), 238U, 237Np, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, 241Am, 242Cm, 243Cm and 244Cm from one sample.