Determination of Uranium Concentrations and Its Isotopic Ratios in Environmental Samples using Alpha-Spectrometric Analysis

Year
2012
Author(s)
Khattab Mahmoud - Nuclear Materials Authority (NMA)
Mohamed Monged - Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority
H. M. Diab - Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority
Abstract
Alpha spectrometry analysis has been used for the determination of uranium concentrations in different environmental samples. The concentration of 238U was measured by both destructive and non-destructive techniques with a detection limit of less than 1.8mBq/kg. However, because of the extremely low 234U concentrations in environmental samples, it was necessary to use a destructive technique to separate U from the sample matrices as well as remove interfering elements from the sample solution to determine 238U/234U ratio. In this study, the uranium was separated from the collected environmental samples using an anion exchange resin (Dowex 1×8 Cl- form) and then source was prepared by electrodeposition method using Lanthanide fluorides (LaF3). The results obtained were validated using some certified reference samples.