The 16th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

A sample preparation method for extracting plutonium from soil samples for AMS measurement

PSA-69

21 Oct 2024, 16:55

20m

Lobby and Hallway , 2nd Floor (( Poster session A should be set up in the morning.))

Poster Sample Preparation Techniques Poster Session A

Speaker

Lingrong Du (Guangxi Normal University)

Description

Plutonium (Pu) is recognized as an essential environmental indicator isotope. The purpose of this investigation is to devise a protocol for extracting plutonium from soil samples, aimed at Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) analysis. The procedure initiates with the purification and ashing of samples, followed by the integration of the standard reference material 242Pu before proceeding to acid dissolution. Subsequent to the matrix element reduction via Fe(OH)3 co-precipitation, NaNO2 is administered to stabilize the oxidation state of plutonium at Pu(IV). Further purification and separation of plutonium are achieved through TEVA resin application. The resultant eluate is then dried, re-acidified, and subjected to another round of Fe(OH)3 co-precipitation. The final precipitate is calcined to yield an iron oxide matrix embedding PuO, which is then mixed with niobium powder and pressed into the cathodes for AMS measurement.