Application of ICP-MS and HR-ICP-MS for the characterization of solutions generated from corrosion testing of spent nuclear fuel

The corrosion behavior of spent nuclear fuels under simulated geologically unsaturated and oxidizing conditions are being studied by subjecting both unirradiated and irradiated nuclear fuels to dripping groundwater. Solutions and solid materials are periodically sampled and subsequently analyzed to determine concentrations of groundwater and fuel components in these materials to elucidate corrosion mechanisms. The analyses are performed primarily by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For ICP-MS the method of internal standardization was used with direct external calibration with multi-elemental standards possessing natural isotopic abundances for the determination of concentrations groundwater components and indirect instrumental response calibration for the determination of fuel components. Additionally, high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) was utilized to enhance the ability to determine concentrations of low-solubility actinides at ultratrace concentrations. (author)