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P. Müller, K. Blaum, B.A. Bushaw, S. Diel, Ch. Geppert, A. Nähler, W. Nörtershäuser, N. Trautmann, K. Wendt

Trace detection of ⁴¹Ca in nuclear reactor concrete by diode-laser-based resonance ionization mass spectrometry

The content of the long-lived isotope ⁴¹Ca in concrete samples obtained from the biological shield of a shut-down nuclear research reactor has been determined by diode-laser-based resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS). Standard procedures were applied for the chemical separation of calcium. A radioactive tracer of ⁴⁷Ca was used to determine the chemical yield. The total calcium concentration in the final nitric acid solution was measured by x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The RIMS measurement yielded the abundance of ⁴¹Ca relative to the total calcium content with a detection limit of 5×10^-10, limited by background effects at mass 41. The detection limit corresponds to a minimum detectable specific ⁴¹Ca activity of ~100 mBq/g in the concrete. Reproducibility and accuracy were determined with ⁴¹Ca spikes and found to be in the range of 15%, limited predominantly by ion counting statistics.

Radiochimica Acta, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag

Print ISSN: 0033-8230
Volume: 88, 08/2000
Pages: 487

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