[en] Plutonium nitrate solution is treated with sulphuric acid before being heated and finally ignited. The stoichiometric plutonium dioxide so formed is weighed and hence the plutonium content is calculated. (author)

[en] 1, 2, 3, 4-cyclopentanetetracarboxylic acid (CPTA) may be used for the gravimetric determination of zirconium. The procedure is simple and relatively free from interference. (author)

[en] In the scope of installation safety and criticality studies, an assessment was made of moisture uptake by plutonium oxide powder used for oxide fuels. The effects of exposure time, atmospheric relative humidity (9-98%), calcination temperature (400-1100⁰C) and specific area of the PuO₂ powder were evaluated. Based on these parameters, the moisture uptake of the PuO₂ powder varies from 0,1 to 2,5%; moreover, the variation appears to be a linear function to the specific surface area

[en] The water content of a large number of samples of Older and Younger Halit exists in four different forms: hydration water, crystal boundary surface water, brine droplets within negative crystals (inclusions), and water molecules trapped within the crystal lattice. A thermogravimetric investigation was conducted to show what happens to the water as the temperature is increased. Preliminary results are reported

No abstract available

[en] Short communication

No abstract available

[en] The verification of safeguarded materials by means of destructive analysis involves at present transport of small samples from the inspected facilities for analysis off-site. Delays occurring during the verification procedure often did not allow its completion within the IAEA's criteria for timely verification. To overcome this problem, the IAEA has developed a new concept that calls for: concluding arrangements based on existing agreements with Member States concerned for waiving restrictions on the export of safeguards samples, and applying for a global licence to transport them; establishing transport procedures that define the composition of the consignment and the appropriate transport container, dispatch, freight forwarder and carrier, and reaching agreement for the procedures with the organizations involved; implementing a procedure for keeping track of the samples during their entire lifetime; placing contracts with the analytical laboratories for timely analysis, and setting up an efficient mode of distribution for the samples under consultation with the laboratories involved. The concept was tested on 78 samples from a reprocessing plant. All analytical results were reported within the goal detection time. The partial implementation of the concept has already resulted in a significant reduction of the delays for all categories of safeguarded materials. When all the measures described in the concept are completely established, a timely verification employing destructive analysis should be feasible. (author)

[en] A list of 1987 Target Values for achievable uncertainty components in fissile isotope and element assay has evolved from discussions within the ESARDA Working Group on Techniques and Standards for Destructive Analysis, the INMM Committee on Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Measurement Control and the INMM Committee on Mass Spectrometry Measurement Control. It updates the list of 1983 Target Values on the basis of the experience gathered in using the concept. (author)

[en] Thermogravimetry (TG) is a sensitive and powerful tool for investigation of oxygen nonstoichiometry and related properties in mixed-valence oxide systems and has been extensively applied to a series of high-T_c oxide superconductors. Nonstoichiometry, phase stability ranges, and oxygen diffusion as investigated mainly through the TG technique in several systems of high-T_c oxides are reviewed