Reprocessing of 10B-contaminated 10Be AMS targets

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dc.contributor.authorSimon, KJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPedro, JBen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSmith, AMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChild, DPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFink, Den_AU
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-31T23:52:53Zen_AU
dc.date.available2015-10-31T23:52:53Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2013-01-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2015-10-21en_AU
dc.description.abstract10Be accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an increasingly important tool in studies ranging from exposure age dating and palaeo-geomagnetism to the impact of solar variability on the Earth’s climate. High levels of boron in BeO AMS targets can adversely impact the quality of 10Be measurements through interference from the isobar 10B. Numerous methods in chemical sample preparation and AMS measurement have been employed in order to reduce the impact of excessive boron rates. We present details of a method developed to chemically reprocess a set of forty boron-contaminated BeO targets derived from modern Antarctic ice. Previously, the excessive boron levels in these samples, as measured in an argon-filled absorber cell preceding the ionisation detector, had precluded routine AMS measurement. The procedure involved removing the BeO + Nb mixture from the target holders and dissolving the BeO in hot concentrated H2SO4. The solution was then heated with HF to remove the boron as volatile BF3 before re-precipitating as Be(OH)2 and calcining to BeO. This was again mixed with niobium and pressed into fresh target holders. Following reprocessing, the samples gave boron rates reduced by 10–100×, which were sufficiently low and similar to previous successful batches of ice core, snow and associated blank samples, thus allowing a successful 10Be measurement in the absence of any boron correction. Overall recovery of the BeO for this process averaged 40%. Extensive testing of relevant processing equipment and reagents failed to determine the source of the boron. As a precautionary measure, a similar H2SO4 + HF step has been subsequently added to the standard ice processing method. © 2012, Elsevier B.V.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationSimon, K.J., Pedro, J.B., Smith, A.M., Child, D.P., & Fink, D. (2013). Reprocessing of B-10-contaminated Be-10 AMS targets. Paper presented to the Twelfth International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Wellington, New Zealand, 20-25 March 2011). In Zondervan, A., Prior, C., Bruhn, F., & Sparks, R. (Eds), Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 294, 208-213. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2012.07.013en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate25 March 2011en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameTwelfth International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometryen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceWellington, New Zealanden_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate20 March 2011en_AU
dc.identifier.editorsZondervan, A., Prior, C., Bruhn, F., & Sparks, R.en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc6203en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0168-583Xen_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atomsen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination208-213en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2012.07.013en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/6360en_AU
dc.identifier.volume294en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectMass spectroscopyen_AU
dc.subjectClimatesen_AU
dc.subjectBoronen_AU
dc.subjectReprocessingen_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectNiobiumen_AU
dc.titleReprocessing of 10B-contaminated 10Be AMS targetsen_AU
dc.typeConference Paperen_AU
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