Identification and quantification of 233U at a legacy waste site

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dc.contributor.authorHarrison, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChild, DPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHotchkis, MACen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPayne, TEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorThiruvoth, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilsher, KLen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-30T03:37:57Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-01-30T03:37:57Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2012-10-16en_AU
dc.date.statistics2023-01-30en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe Little Forest Burial Ground (LFBG), located within the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) buffer zone, was used to dispose of low level radioactive waste in shallow trenches during the 1960s. Operational records suggest that natural and anthropogenic radionuclides were disposed of, including uranium-233 (233U), a fissile isotope of uranium. This paper outlines how 233U was identified and then quantified in environmental samples from LFBG in the presence of other uranium isotopes. Alpha spectrometry sources were prepared using 232U as a tracer and counted to give a qualitative indication of 233U from the combined 233+234U activity. The primary region of interest (ROI) of 233U is a doublet peak, with emission energies of 4.784 MeV (13%) and 4.824 MeV (84%). This peak, if present in an alpha spectrum, will overlap with the primary ROI of 234U, also a doublet of 4.722 MeV (28%) and 4.775 MeV (71%). Based on alpha spectrometry results, samples thought to contain 233U were then prepared for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). AMS was used to measure the 234U/233U isotope ratio. The isotope dilution method, with 236U spike, was not able to be used with samples from this study site as low levels of this anthropogenic isotope have also been detected. Instead, the isotope ratio 234U/233U from AMS was used with the combined 233+234U activity from alpha spectrometry to derive the 233U activity. This combination of techniques enables 233U to be quantified in these types of environmental samples.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationHarrison, J. J., Child, D. P., Hotchkis, M. A. C., Payne, T. E., Thiruvoth, S., & Wilsher, K. L. (2012). Identification and quantification of 233U at a legacy waste site. Paper presented to the 12th South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association Conference (SPERA 2012), Sydney, Australia, Tuesday 16 October – Friday 19 October 2012. Lucas Heights, NSW: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. (pp. 55).en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate19 October 2012en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencename12th South Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association Conference (SPERA 2012)en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceSydney, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate16 October 2012en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination55en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/14571en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisationen_AU
dc.subjectUranium 233en_AU
dc.subjectANSTOen_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectRadioactive wastesen_AU
dc.subjectGround disposalen_AU
dc.subjectTracer techniquesen_AU
dc.subjectSpectroscopyen_AU
dc.titleIdentification and quantification of 233U at a legacy waste siteen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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