Determination of [sup.41]Ca with LSC and AMS: method development, modifications and applications

Despite the emission of only low energy Auger electrons (ca. 3.6 keV) and the difficulty of obtaining a certified standard, Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) determinations are still reasonable options for a radioanalytical laboratory involved in nuclear installation decommission. Besides, acceler...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 2013-05, Vol.296 (2), p.617
Main Authors: Hampe, D, Gleisberg, B, Akhmadaliev, S, Rugel, G, Merchel, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbonates
Mass spectrometry
Methods
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Summary:Despite the emission of only low energy Auger electrons (ca. 3.6 keV) and the difficulty of obtaining a certified standard, Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) determinations are still reasonable options for a radioanalytical laboratory involved in nuclear installation decommission. Besides, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), being the most sensitive analytical technique not only for [sup.41]Ca, is gaining increasingly broader accessibility and applicability. Herein, we present a radiochemical separation procedure developed for [sup.41]Ca determination with LSC and AMS in varying materials (i.e. water, concrete, sediment, soil, and biota). The radioanalytical isolation consists of anion exchange and extraction chromatography as well as carbonate precipitation and recrystallization from organic solvents. Thereby, interfering radionuclides as [sup.55]Fe, [sup.60]Co, [sup.152]Eu, U or actinides are removed with decontamination factors of [10.sup.2]-[10.sup.4]. Quench curves for determining the measurement efficiency is generated with a [sup.41]Ca solution gained from the [sup.41]Ca/[sup.40]Ca certified reference material ERM-AE701. In routine application the procedure is characterized by chemical yields of 67-86 %, measurement efficiencies of 1-10 % and detection limits of 0.05 Bq g-1 and 0.3 Bq L-1. Aliquots of the digestion solutions of LSC can be easily converted into Ca[F.sub.2]-AMS targets by successive oxsalate and fluoride precipitation. Pros and cons for both measurement techniques are addressed based on [sup.41]Ca results from LSC and AMS for the same material. Keywords [sup.41]Ca * Radiochemical separation * Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) * Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) * Method comparison
ISSN:0236-5731
DOI:10.1007/s10967-012-2145-8