Application of ICP spectrometry to analysis of elements in waste forms

The purpose of the test at the Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF) is to get information on the confinement performance of waste forms. In a leaching behavior as one of the examples, it is necessary to analyze exactly a very small amounts of the elements dissolved from waste forms to leachant. At WASTEF, chemical and radioactive analyses are generally used to attain the objective described above. In the chemical analysis, Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) are adopted at WASTEF. Recently, the new ICP atomic emission spectrometer for analyzing the hot samples with radioactive nuclide was installed in new glove box, which was designed from the points of view of sealing and radiation shielding. The characterization tests on the new spectrometer were carried out using standard solutions containing many kinds of the elements, such as Al, Ca, Nd, Li, Ni, Ce, Fe, Cr, Zr, Zn, La, B, Si and P and standard glass. The coefficient of variation for the intensity of spectrum reduces with increasing integration time. The intensity of the spectrum in short duration exists in a stable state. However, the intensity in long duration decreases with time. The intensity of the spectrum greatly changes with the small variation of carrier gas flow rate. The detection limits and the lower limits of determination for the elements are estimated. The standard glass can be analyzed with the accuracy within 5 % and the precision of 10 %. (author)