Carbon-14 analysis in solidified product of non-metallic solid waste by a combination of alkaline fusion and gaseous CO trapping

Ishimori, Kenichiro ; Kameo, Yutaka ; Matsue, Hideaki ; Oki, Yoshiyuki*; Nakashima, Mikio; Takahashi, Kuniaki 

In order to establish a simple and rapid analytical method for C in solidified products made from non-metallic low-level radioactive solid wastes by melting treatment, a radiochemical analysis in combination with alkaline fusion as a sample decomposition method was examined. A simulated solidified product containing C, which was prepared by using nuclear reaction N(n, p)C with thermal neutron irradiation, was analyzed by the present method to compare with a conventional radiochemical analysis using oxidizing combustion. The reproducible and quantitative recovery of C from the simulated solidified product indicates that the present method is superior and more efficient for C analysis in solidified products than the conventional method using oxidizing combustion.