Study on Am and Cm analysis in irradiated fuels, 1; The result of mutual separation Am and Cm

Osaka, Masahiko  ; Koyama, Shinichi  ; Otsuka, Yuko; Mitsugashira, Toshiaki; Konno, Koichi; Kajitani, Yukio

As a part of evaluation of irradiation behavior and burnup characteristics of MA nuclides such as Np, Am and Cm in MA containing MOX fuel, we are studying the quantitative analysis techniques for MA nuclides in irradiated fuel. In this study, we studied the mutual separation method for Am and Cm to establish the analysis method for Am and Cm following Np analysis by alpha spectrometry. The measurements of Am and Cm are difficult to analyze quantitatively because the amounts of some nuclides are too small and the number of nuclides are large, whose energies of the alpha radioactive rays are almost same. Therefore we selected to analyze the trace amount of Am and Cm isotopes using mass spectrometry, and have studied the techniques for mutual separation of Am and Cm using oxidation method of Am by NaBiO for standard samples. We have also evaluated the availability of this method for irradiated fuel. Results are as follows. (1)Through the mutual separation tests, we have found the most suitable conditions for separation of both Am and Cm from each other element. The method obtaining Am which contains no Cm is used water for precipitation washing solution, containing Cm is achicved that the remaining ratio of Am (ratio of radioactivity of Am/Cm against before separation) were reduced less than 1/10 for Cm. (2)Applying of this method to irradiated fuel, the coordinate remaining ratio and the chemical yield of Am and Cm were almost same as them in the separation tests. This method to apply various irradiated MOX Fuel is therefore possible. (3)The isotope ratio Am, Am and Am measured by mass spectrometry, which could not be analyzed by radioactive ray spectrometry causing less than detection limit, were 98.55% : 0.62% : 0.83%. We also measured zero of the mass number of 240 and 244 on the specimens and then certified no contamination of Cm to Am.