New fluoride target matrix preparation procedure for determination of ²³⁶U with accelerator mass spectrometry

Autor(en)

T. Prášek, M. Němec, P. Steier, M. Kern, M. Honda, K. Hain, X. Zhang

Abstrakt

In recent years, radionuclide ²³⁶U has become a valuable analytical tool covering a wide area of applications, including overall monitoring of environmental radioactive contamination for nuclear safeguards purposes, forensic analyses, tracing of various natural processes, e.g. ocean currents, soil erosion and others. Due to low concentrations of ²³⁶U in environmental samples, highly sensitive mass spectrometric methods as ICP-MS and AMS require to be applied in related analyses. AMS measurements usually utilize target samples with uranium converted to a form of oxide incorporated in iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) carrier matrix. Alternatively, fluoride target matrices, uranium tetrafluoride (UF₄) in particular, have been studied as a promising alternative, providing significantly higher ion currents at a simultaneous reduction of occurring interferences by replacement of oxygen with monoisotopic fluorine ¹⁹F. Despite these advantages, application of fluoride target matrices in routine analytical process still faces several major problems regarding the preparation of pure, anhydrous uranium tetrafluoride as well as the continuity of preparation procedures with preceding sample treatment, which demand further modifications. In this respect, a new fluoride target matrix preparation method has been proposed, more suitable for determination of ²³⁶U in natural samples. Applicability of the procedure has been demonstrated on a series of target samples analysed at VERA AMS laboratory, University of Vienna.

Organisation(en)

Isotopenphysik

Externe Organisation(en)

Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU), Universität Wien

Journal

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

Band

472

Seiten

64-71

Anzahl der Seiten

8

ISSN

0168-583X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.029

Publikationsdatum

06-2020

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103014 Kernphysik, 105904 Umweltforschung

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Instrumentation

Link zum Portal

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/de/publications/new-fluoride-target-matrix-preparation-procedure-for-determination-of-236u-with-accelerator-mass-spectrometry(707c00b7-f290-447c-b5cc-652ea09743e3).html