Determination of U-236 in sediment samples by accelerator mass spectrometry

Olivia J. Marsden; Francis R. Livens; J. Philip Day; L. Keith Fifield; Phillip S. Goodall

doi:10.1039/b009764k

Determination of U-236 in sediment samples by accelerator mass spectrometry

Olivia J. Marsden^*, Francis R. Livens, J. Philip Day, L. Keith Fifield, Phillip S. Goodall

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

56 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

²³⁶U is produced only by neutron irradiation of uranium and therefore is potentially useful as a marker for anthropogenic uranium in the environment. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) provides a technique for the determination of very low concentrations of actinide nuclides, and has now been applied to the determination of ²³⁶U : ²³⁵U ratios in an intertidal sediment core collected from the North Irish Sea. Combining measurements of the ²³⁸U mass concentrations calculated from alpha spectrometry with ²³⁸U : ²³⁵U ratios from ICP-MS and ²³⁶U : ²³⁵U ratios from AMS has allowed the estimation of the mass concentrations of ²³⁶U in the sediments. ²³⁶U mass concentrations are in the range 10^-8 to 10^-9 g kg^-1, and ²³⁶U : ²³⁸U atom ratios in the range from 100^-5 to 1^-6, well above natural baseline levels. Uncertainties based on propagation of measurement errors were less than ±10% although ±15% is perhaps a more realistic estimate of overall uncertainty.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	633-636
Number of pages	4
Journal	The Analyst
Volume	126
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/b009764k
Publication status	Published - 2001

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title = "Determination of U-236 in sediment samples by accelerator mass spectrometry",

abstract = "236U is produced only by neutron irradiation of uranium and therefore is potentially useful as a marker for anthropogenic uranium in the environment. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) provides a technique for the determination of very low concentrations of actinide nuclides, and has now been applied to the determination of 236U : 235U ratios in an intertidal sediment core collected from the North Irish Sea. Combining measurements of the 238U mass concentrations calculated from alpha spectrometry with 238U : 235U ratios from ICP-MS and 236U : 235U ratios from AMS has allowed the estimation of the mass concentrations of 236U in the sediments. 236U mass concentrations are in the range 10-8 to 10-9 g kg-1, and 236U : 238U atom ratios in the range from 100-5 to 1-6, well above natural baseline levels. Uncertainties based on propagation of measurement errors were less than ±10% although ±15% is perhaps a more realistic estimate of overall uncertainty.",

author = "Marsden, {Olivia J.} and Livens, {Francis R.} and Day, {J. Philip} and Fifield, {L. Keith} and Goodall, {Phillip S.}",

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doi = "10.1039/b009764k",

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journal = "The Analyst",

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T1 - Determination of U-236 in sediment samples by accelerator mass spectrometry

AU - Marsden, Olivia J.

AU - Livens, Francis R.

AU - Day, J. Philip

AU - Fifield, L. Keith

AU - Goodall, Phillip S.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - 236U is produced only by neutron irradiation of uranium and therefore is potentially useful as a marker for anthropogenic uranium in the environment. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) provides a technique for the determination of very low concentrations of actinide nuclides, and has now been applied to the determination of 236U : 235U ratios in an intertidal sediment core collected from the North Irish Sea. Combining measurements of the 238U mass concentrations calculated from alpha spectrometry with 238U : 235U ratios from ICP-MS and 236U : 235U ratios from AMS has allowed the estimation of the mass concentrations of 236U in the sediments. 236U mass concentrations are in the range 10-8 to 10-9 g kg-1, and 236U : 238U atom ratios in the range from 100-5 to 1-6, well above natural baseline levels. Uncertainties based on propagation of measurement errors were less than ±10% although ±15% is perhaps a more realistic estimate of overall uncertainty.

AB - 236U is produced only by neutron irradiation of uranium and therefore is potentially useful as a marker for anthropogenic uranium in the environment. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) provides a technique for the determination of very low concentrations of actinide nuclides, and has now been applied to the determination of 236U : 235U ratios in an intertidal sediment core collected from the North Irish Sea. Combining measurements of the 238U mass concentrations calculated from alpha spectrometry with 238U : 235U ratios from ICP-MS and 236U : 235U ratios from AMS has allowed the estimation of the mass concentrations of 236U in the sediments. 236U mass concentrations are in the range 10-8 to 10-9 g kg-1, and 236U : 238U atom ratios in the range from 100-5 to 1-6, well above natural baseline levels. Uncertainties based on propagation of measurement errors were less than ±10% although ±15% is perhaps a more realistic estimate of overall uncertainty.

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U2 - 10.1039/b009764k

DO - 10.1039/b009764k

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JO - The Analyst

JF - The Analyst

IS - 5

ER -

Determination of U-236 in sediment samples by accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract

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