Determination method using liquid scintillation counter for ^113mCd in wastewater in Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant

A simple analytical method was developed for the determination of ^113mCd in treated wastewater arising from the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. Cadmium in wastewater containing sea salt was effectively separated by an anion-exchange procedure. It was found that 98.6% of the Cd was recovered by the present procedure from a sample solution of 2 M HCl. Since a radioactivity standard solution of ^113mCd was difficult to purchase from venders, the beta-ray counting efficiency for ^113mCd was estimated using ¹⁴C, ³⁶Cl, and ⁹⁹Tc standard solutions. The minimum detectable activity was calculated to be 0.0011 Bq mLv^-1. The present analytical method would be well-suited for a rapid and simple determination of ^113mCd in wastewater treated by ALPS. (author)