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Xiaolin Hou

Radiochemical determination of ⁴¹Ca in nuclear reactor concrete

A simple analytical method for simultaneous determination of ⁴¹Ca and ⁹⁰Sr in nuclear reactor concrete was developed. Different methods such as acid leaching and alkali fusion were investigated for the decomposition of the samples and for the separation of Ca and Sr from the matrix. Hydroxide and carbonate precipitation was used to separate Ca and Sr from the matrix elements as well as from each other. The chemical yields of the separation procedures for ⁴¹Ca and ⁹⁰Sr are 80–90% and the decontamination factors for all interfering radionuclides are more than 10⁴. The detection limits of the analytical method for ⁴¹Ca and ⁹⁰Sr are 0.020 and 0.015 Bq, respectively. The methods developed here were used in the determination of ⁴¹Ca in heavy concrete from two concrete cores in the Danish research reactor DR-2.

Radiochimica Acta, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag

Print ISSN: 0033-8230
Volume: 93, 09/2005
Pages: 611 - 617

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