Feasibility of a Fieldable Mass Spectrometer FY 2015 Year-end Report

Currently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitors the production of enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) at declared facilities by collecting a few grams of product in sample tubes that are then sent to central laboratories for processing and isotope ratio analysis by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Analysis of results may not be available for some time after collection. In addition, new shipping regulations will make it more difficult to transport this amount of UF₆ to a laboratory. The IAEA is interested in an isotope ratio technique for uranium in UF₆ that can be moved to and operated at the enrichment facility itself. This report covers the tasks and activities of the Feasibility of a Fieldable Mass Spectrometer Project for FY 2015, which investigates the feasibility of an in-field isotope ratio technique- the forward deployment of a technique to the non-laboratory situation of a protected room with power and heat at the facility of interest. A variety of nontraditional elemental ionization techniques were considered. It was determined that only two of these should be moved forward for testing with the candidate in-field mass spectrometer and with the adsorbed UF₆ sample types.