“Age” determination of irradiated materials utilizing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection

A gas pressurized extraction chromatography (GPEC) system has been developed to perform elemental separations on radioactive samples to determine total and isotopic compositions of Cs and Ba from an irradiated salt sample, fuel sample and two sealed radiation sources. The GPEC system employs compressed nitrogen to move liquid through the system, compared to gravity or pumped liquids that are typically used for separations. A commercially available Sr-Resin™ was used to perform the separation for the above mentioned analytes. A 1% acetic acid solution was determined to be the best extractant for Ba. A flow rate of 0.1 mL/min was determined to be optimal for the separation of Ba. Complete recovery of the Cs and Ba was achieved, within the systematic uncertainties of the experiments.