Chemical separation and age determination of trace Am-Pu mixture in the safeguards environmental samples

Miyamoto, Yutaka   ; Suzuki, Daisuke   ; Magara, Masaaki  ; Esaka, Fumitaka  ; Kimura, Takaumi 

The analytical technique for accurate determination of Pu purification age in a Pu oxide particle was developed. The accuracy and uncertainty of age determined by our analytical technique was evaluated with the 8 Pu oxide particles which the Pu purification age (3.915 years) is known. An anion-exchange column with nitric acid media was used for the separation of Pu and its progeny nuclide, Am. The elemental and isotope ratios of Pu and Am were measured with an HR-ICP-MS (ELEMENT) equipped with a desolvation sample introduction system (APEX-Q). The Am-spike method gave accurate (the measured ages agreed with the actual age within k=1 uncertainty) and precise results (range of uncertainty: 0.3 years)