Tellurium determination by three modes of instrumental neutron activation analysis in aerosol filters and trap solutions for the simulation of a severe nuclear accident

0534030 - ÚJF 2021 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Kučera, Jan - Pasi, A-E. - Espergen, F. - Karkela, T. - Lerum, H. V. - Omtvedt, J. P. - Ekberg, C.
Tellurium determination by three modes of instrumental neutron activation analysis in aerosol filters and trap solutions for the simulation of a severe nuclear accident.
Microchemical Journal. Roč. 158, NOV (2020), č. článku 105139. ISSN 0026-265X. E-ISSN 1095-9149
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LM2015056
Research Infrastructure: Reactors LVR-15 and LR-0 II - 90120
Institutional support: RVO:61389005
Keywords : 132Te fission product * instrumental neutron activation analysis * self-verification principle * severe nuclear accident * Te determination
OECD category: Analytical chemistry
Impact factor: 4.821, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2020.105139

Tellurium belongs to the elements not frequently determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA) or other analytical methods. We present results of a new methodological study using three independent modes of instrumental NAA (INAA) using the Te-123m, Te-131 and T-131 radionuclides. We compare the results obtained in terms of accuracy, precision and limits of detection (LOD). We utilized the INAA procedures tested for the tellurium determination in aerosol filters and trap solutions in a model experiment aimed at reducing the knowledge gap concerning the behaviour of Te-132, a radiologically significant fission product, which constitutes a considerable health risk towards the public in case of its release in a severe nuclear power plant accident. We found that the nuclear reaction Te-130(n,gamma)Te-131 and gamma-ray spectrometric measurement of I-131, a descendant of Te-131, is the most sensitive way of Te determination by INAA providing as low LOD values as 0.15 mu g of Te in the Teflon aerosol filters and 0.22 mu g mL(-1) in the 0.1 M NaOH trap solutions. The three independent INAA modes allowed employing the self-verification principle of INAA for increasing the trustworthiness of our results. Finally, we also point to the indispensable role of the non-destructive feature of INAA for assay of samples, such as Teflon aerosol filters, that are difficult to be analysed by other analytical methods requiring complete sample destruction without analyte losses.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0312247