An evaluation of the minor isotope ratio uncertainties based on traceable standards from new brunswick laboratory

Kattathu J. Mathew; Chelsea Ottenfeld; Nicholas Butterfield

doi:10.1007/s10967-022-08505-9

An evaluation of the minor isotope ratio uncertainties based on traceable standards from new brunswick laboratory

Kattathu J. Mathew
, Chelsea Ottenfeld
, Nicholas Butterfield

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Certified reference material (CRM) standards are used for calibration of mass spectrometer instruments, for measurement control, and for validating analytical methods used by safeguards laboratories. We evaluated the minor isotopic data on plutonium CRMs 136, 137, 138, and 126-A to estimate the contributing factors to the uncertainty budgets of these ratios. Data evaluated were obtained using the total evaporation methodology, which is considered the gold standard for major ratio measurements. For the minor isotope ratios, the per turret correction yielded overall uncertainties that are a factor of 2 to 3 smaller than the correction based on an assumed correction factor using the specified abundance sensitivity. LA-UR-22–22,150.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4881-4889
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Volume	331
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08505-9
State	Published - Dec 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Discussions with colleagues S. Floyd (LLNL), L. Tandon (LANL), A. Olson (LANL), S. Richter (IRMM), and P. Mason (NBL-PO) on TIMS isotopic data uncertainties are gratefully acknowledged. Authors have no conflict of interest to declare. All authors have reviewed the paper and approved the content. Authors are grateful to an anonymous reviewer for a very detailed review and comments. Revisions performed as a result of these comments have improved the quality of the paper.

Keywords

Correlation effects
Isotope ratios
Nuclear forensics
Plutonium
Thermal ionization mass spectrometry
Total evaporation

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10.1007/s10967-022-08505-9

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title = "An evaluation of the minor isotope ratio uncertainties based on traceable standards from new brunswick laboratory",

abstract = "Certified reference material (CRM) standards are used for calibration of mass spectrometer instruments, for measurement control, and for validating analytical methods used by safeguards laboratories. We evaluated the minor isotopic data on plutonium CRMs 136, 137, 138, and 126-A to estimate the contributing factors to the uncertainty budgets of these ratios. Data evaluated were obtained using the total evaporation methodology, which is considered the gold standard for major ratio measurements. For the minor isotope ratios, the per turret correction yielded overall uncertainties that are a factor of 2 to 3 smaller than the correction based on an assumed correction factor using the specified abundance sensitivity. LA-UR-22–22,150.",

keywords = "Correlation effects, Isotope ratios, Nuclear forensics, Plutonium, Thermal ionization mass spectrometry, Total evaporation",

author = "Mathew, \{Kattathu J.\} and Chelsea Ottenfeld and Nicholas Butterfield",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, Akad{\'e}miai Kiad{\'o}, Budapest, Hungary.",

year = "2022",

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doi = "10.1007/s10967-022-08505-9",

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AU - Mathew, Kattathu J.

AU - Ottenfeld, Chelsea

AU - Butterfield, Nicholas

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Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - Certified reference material (CRM) standards are used for calibration of mass spectrometer instruments, for measurement control, and for validating analytical methods used by safeguards laboratories. We evaluated the minor isotopic data on plutonium CRMs 136, 137, 138, and 126-A to estimate the contributing factors to the uncertainty budgets of these ratios. Data evaluated were obtained using the total evaporation methodology, which is considered the gold standard for major ratio measurements. For the minor isotope ratios, the per turret correction yielded overall uncertainties that are a factor of 2 to 3 smaller than the correction based on an assumed correction factor using the specified abundance sensitivity. LA-UR-22–22,150.

AB - Certified reference material (CRM) standards are used for calibration of mass spectrometer instruments, for measurement control, and for validating analytical methods used by safeguards laboratories. We evaluated the minor isotopic data on plutonium CRMs 136, 137, 138, and 126-A to estimate the contributing factors to the uncertainty budgets of these ratios. Data evaluated were obtained using the total evaporation methodology, which is considered the gold standard for major ratio measurements. For the minor isotope ratios, the per turret correction yielded overall uncertainties that are a factor of 2 to 3 smaller than the correction based on an assumed correction factor using the specified abundance sensitivity. LA-UR-22–22,150.

KW - Correlation effects

KW - Isotope ratios

KW - Nuclear forensics

KW - Plutonium

KW - Thermal ionization mass spectrometry

KW - Total evaporation

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JO - Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

JF - Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

IS - 12

ER -

An evaluation of the minor isotope ratio uncertainties based on traceable standards from new brunswick laboratory

Abstract

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