“Age” determination of irradiated materials utilizing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection

Sommers, J.; Cummings, D. G.; Giglio, Jeffrey J.; Carney, Kevin

doi:10.1007/s10967-009-0210-8

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This model purification date falls more than one year before the encapsulation date of October 27, 1965 that represents the latest possible time of purification. The model date is also in agreement with previous independent determinations of the model purification date for this source [11, 23].…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The 137 Cs material used to produce the Cs–Ba RM was removed from a sealed capsule stamped with an encapsulation date of October 27, 1965 and initial activity of 0.74 TBq (20 Ci) [11]. A CsCl pellet was extracted from the sealed source capsule and crushed at the Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Hot Fuel Examination Facility.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The five quartz ampoules that were filled following the conclusion of the production run, one of the Savillex vials, and three randomly selected ampoules from the production run were retained at INL for characterization of molality of 137 Ba* as well as measurements of Cs isotopic composition, molality of 137 Cs,andBaisotopiccomposition.Finally,threeSavillex vials and three ampoules from the production run were selected for Ba analyses at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).These samples were prepared for verification of the Ba isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) and isotopic measurements performed at INL. Prior to analysis at INL or transfer to ORNL, all samples were spiked as appropriate for the planned analyses, then separated into Cs and Ba fractions at INL using gas pressurized extraction chromatography [11]. The reported results and recommended reference values calculated from these measurements have all been decay-corrected to represent their values as of a common reference date of July 7, 2011, in order to account for changes due to radioactive decay of 137 Csandingrowthof 137 Ba* because of differences in when the various characterization and verification measurements were performed.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Green triangle symbols represent 137 Ba* ORNL verification measurements. A mean value for model purification dates of previous analyses of the same source [11, 23] is also shown (orange diamond). The horizontal single solid line represents the model age derived from the recommended values for the molalities of 137 Cs and 137 Ba* and the dashed lines represent the envelope of the expanded uncertainty.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A reference material for evaluation of 137Cs radiochronometric measurements

Lavelle

Essex

Carney

et al. 2018

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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A new nuclear forensic reference material has been characterized as a standard for radiochronometric determination of the model purification date for 137Cs sources. The purification date of a radioactive source is a potentially diagnostic nuclear forensic signature for determining the provenance of a radioactive material. Reference values have been measured for the attributes needed to use the 137Cs/137Ba chronometer: the molality (reported here as nmol g−1) of 137Cs and of the radiogenic portion of 137Ba in the material (hereafter referred to as 137Ba*). All measurement results were decay-corrected to represent the composition of the material on the reference date of July 7, 2011. The molality of 137Cs is (0.7915 ± 0.0073) nmol g−1; this value was calculated from the massic activity of 137Cs, (348.4 ± 3.0) kBq g−1, as measured in the NIST 4π-γ secondary standard ionization chamber (previously calibrated by 4π-(e+x)-γ-coincidence efficiency extrapolation counting) and the evaluated half-life of 137Cs, (30.05 ± 0.08) years. The molality of 137Ba*, (1.546 ± 0.024) nmol g−1, was measured by isotope dilution mass spectrometry using the measured relative proportion of 138Ba in the material to apply a correction for the 137Ba contribution from natural Ba. A model age of (47.04 ± 0.56) years, corresponding to a model purification date of June 22, 1964 with an expanded uncertainty of 200 days is calculated from the reference material values. This age is consistent with the date engraved on the capsule that contained the 137Cs starting material and with a prior independent determination of the model purification date. A full discussion of the uncertainties of the reference material values is included.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A reference material for evaluation of 137Cs radiochronometric measurements

Lavelle

Essex

Carney

et al. 2018

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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show abstract

“…For each fuel element, results agreed with irradiation records. 3 Subsequently, INL 4 applied the method to determining the age of a 90 Sr source material from a blood-irradiation device that was assembled in 1968 by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The age of the source corresponded to a purication date in 1967 and was consistent with information provided by ORNL.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%