Improved data analysis techniques for calculating more accurate radon and thoron exhalation rates from building interior solid walls

Sakoda, Akihiro; Ishimori, Yuu; Jin, Q.*; Iimoto, Takeshi*

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 207, p.111180_1 - 111180_8, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111180

The impacts of mathematical models and associated parameters on radon (Rn) and thoron (Rn) exhalation rates based on in-situ testing at building interior solid walls were demonstrated to improve data analysis techniques. The results showed that the heterogeneity of their activity concentrations within the measurement system was more significant for thoron than radon. The diurnal variation in indoor radon should be considered for better data quality. In conclusion, a model should be appropriately made and selected under the purposes and accuracy requirements of the exhalation test.

Accurate and precise measurement of uranium content in uranium trioxide by gravimetry; Comparison with isotope dilution mass spectrometry and its uncertainty estimation

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Horigome, Kazushi; Kuno, Takehiko

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 190, p.110460_1 - 110460_7, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110460

Gravimetric measurement of U content in UO with ignition in the air has been investigated. The ignition temperature, ignition time and aliquot sample mass are optimized as 900C, 60 minutes, and 1 g, respectively. The method is validated by IDMS with uncertainty estimation. The obtained result by gravimetry is 0.782360.00051 g/g (k=2) and agreed with IDMS value within its uncertainty. It has been found that U in UO can be measured accurately and precisely by gravimetry.

Improved experimental evaluation and model validation of a Cf irradiator for delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy applications

Tohamy, M.*; Abbas, K.*; Nonneman, S.*; Rodriguez, D.; Rossi, F.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 173, p.109694_1 - 109694_7, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109694

Study of charged particle activation analysis, 2; Determination of boron concentration in human blood samples

Ikebe, Yurie*; Oshima, Masumi*; Bamba, Shigeru*; Asai, Masato; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Sato, Tetsuya; Toyoshima, Atsushi*; Bi, C.*; Seto, Hirofumi*; Amano, Hikaru*; et al.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 164, p.109106_1 - 109106_7, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109106

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapy for the treatment of intractable cancer. In BNCT precise determination of B concentration in whole blood sample before neutron irradiation is crucial for control of the neutron irradiation time and the neutron dosimetry. We have applied the Charged Particle Activation Analysis (CPAA) to non-destructive and accurate determination of B concentration in whole blood sample. The experiment was performed at JAEA Tandem Accelerator using an 8 MeV proton beam. The 478 keV ray of Be produced in the B(p,)Be reaction was used to quantify the B, and rays of Co originating from the reaction with Fe in blood was used to normalize the -ray intensity. The results demonstrated that the present CPAA method can be applied to the determination of the B concentration in the blood sample.

Development of an online measurement system using an alpha liquid scintillation counter and a glass-based microfluidic solvent extraction device for plutonium analysis

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Do, V. K.; Kuno, Takehiko; Surugaya, Naoki

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 152, p.37 - 44, 2019/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.06.027

An online measurement system using an alpha liquid scintillation counter (-LSC) coupled to microchip solvent extraction has been developed. A flow-through cell of -LSC has been prepared by packing PTFE tube into glass tube to combine microchip. Two-phase flow in microchannel has been stabilized by using coiled tube. The Pu in organic phase has been mixed with scintillation cocktail by T-junction connectors. The system separates and detects Pu by online with detection limit of 6.5 Bq/mL, generating only L-level wastes.

Rapid analytical method of Sr in urine sample; Rapid separation of Sr by phosphate co-precipitation and extraction chromatography, followed by determination by triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS)

Tomita, Jumpei; Takeuchi, Erina

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 150, p.103 - 109, 2019/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.05.026

A rapid analytical method for determining Sr in urine samples (1-2 L) was developed to assess the internal exposure of workers in a radiological emergency. Strontium in a urine sample was rapidly separated by phosphate co-precipitation, followed by extraction chromatography with a tandem column of Pre-filter, TRU and Sr resin, and the Sr activity was determined by ICP-MS/MS. Measurement in the MS/MS mode with an O reaction gas flow rate 1 mL min showed no tailing of Sr at m/z = 90 up to 50 mg-Sr L. The interferences of Ge, Se and Zr at m/z = 90 were successfully removed by chemical separation. This analytical method was validated by the results of the analyses of synthetic urine samples (1.2-1.6 L) containing a known amount of Sr along with 1 mg of each of Ge, Se, Sr and Zr. The turnaround time for analysis was about 10 h, and the detection limit of Sr was approximately 1 Bq per urine sample.

Development of clearance verification equipment for uranium-bearing waste

Yokoyama, Kaoru; Ohashi, Yusuke

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 145, p.19 - 23, 2019/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2018.11.002

Dismantled materials generated from nuclear facilities are reused or directed to repository sites. If scrap metals with complicated shapes can be cleared, the amounts of radioactive waste can be reduced. A clearance verification system is constructed to determine the amount of uranium in decontaminated metals in a drum using the 1.001 MeV gamma rays of Pa, produced in the decay of U. The experimental study with simulated waste drums demonstrated that the quantification errors of uranium fall within 25% for 0.5g of uranium.

Feasibility study of large-scale production of iodine-125 at the high temperature engineering test reactor

Ho, H. Q.; Honda, Yuki*; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Ishii, Toshiaki; Fujimoto, Nozomu*; Ishitsuka, Etsuo

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 140, p.209 - 214, 2018/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2018.07.024

Evaluation of the accuracy of mono-energetic electron and beta-emitting isotope dose-point kernels using particle and heavy ion transport code system: PHITS

Shiiba, Takuro*; Kuga, Naoya*; Kuroiwa, Yasuyoshi*; Sato, Tatsuhiko

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 128, p.199 - 203, 2017/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.07.028

We calculated scaled dose point kernels (DPKs) for mono-energetic electron in water (0.015, 0.1, 1.0, and 2.0 MeV) and compact bone (0.010 and 1 MeV) using the latest version of PHITS. Furthermore, we calculated beta-emitting isotopes (Sr, Y, I) DPKs in both water and bone. The simulated results of mono-energetic electron and beta-emitting DPKs were compared with those in literature using different MC codes, such as EGSnrc, GATE6.0, MCNP4C, and FLUKA. All mono-energetic and beta-emitting isotope DPKs calculated using PHITS, both in water and compact bone, were in good agreement with those in literature using other MC codes. The differences were 4% for all mono-energetic electron and beta-emitting isotope DPKs in both water and bone. PHITS provided reliable mono-energetic electron and beta-emitting isotope scaled DPKs in both water and compact bone for patient-specific dosimetry.

Design and burn-up analyses of new type holder for silicon neutron transmutation doping

Komeda, Masao; Arai, Masaji; Tamai, Kazuo*; Kawasaki, Kozo*

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 113, p.60 - 65, 2016/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.04.014

We designed and fabricated a new type holder that achieved uniform doping under long-term use at JRR-3. The new type holder uses an aluminum alloy and BC particles as filter materials to ensure uniform vertical flux distribution. Although the amount of filter material decreases with long-term use, it was found that the doping distribution did not change by much until 800 h. The lifetime of the new type holder (of the order of hundreds of hours) depends mainly on the amount of trapped radioactive isotopes. This indicates that the decrease in filtering ability over the filter's lifetime is not significant. The filtering ability remains stable for a long time, and the difference in the vertical doping distribution is 1.08 at 1600 h and 1.18 at 4000 h. The irradiation efficiency is expected to increase by 1.7 times when using the new type holder.