Rapid analytical methods for determination of actinides

Full text: The presence of radionuclides in the environment as results of nuclear weapon tests, reactor accidents, and reprocessing of nuclear fuels has led to growing public concerns about potential radioactive contamination on the health of individuals and on the environment. Actinides are considered most hazardous radionuclides due to their high radiological and chemical toxicities, and long radioactive half-lives. Accurate, reliable and rapid analyses of low level actinides in biological and environmental samples (e.g., urine, feces, water, soil and sediment samples) are in great demand not only for occupational health monitoring but also in response to radiological and nuclear emergency situation, to provide adequate information for fast population screening and environmental assessment for radioactive contamination. This presentation will review state-of-the-art techniques for rapid actinide separation and analysis. Recently, new rapid and sensitive actinide urinalysis methods have been developed at the Chalk River Laboratories, AECL. In these methods, actinides (including U, Th, Pu, Am and Cm isotopes) are co-precipitated with hydrous titanium oxide from urine samples, separated using anion exchange and extraction chromatographic columns, and finally measured by alpha spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Details on development of these rapid actinide bioassay methods will be presented and discussed. (author)