Determination of plutonium in nitric acid solutions using energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence with a low power X-ray generator

J Py (1, 2) , J.-E Groetz (1) , J.-C Hubinois (2) , D Cardona (2)

1 LCE - Laboratoire Chrono-environnement (UMR 6249)
2 DAM/VALDUC - VALDUC

This work presents the development of an in-line energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence spectrometer setup , with a low power X-ray generator and a secondary target, for the determination of plutonium concentration in nitric acid solutions. The intensity of the L X-rays from the internal conversion and gamma rays emitted by the daughter nuclei from plutonium are minimized and corrected, in order to eliminate the interferences with the L X-ray fluorescence spectrum. The matrix effects are then corrected by the Compton peak method. A calibration plot for plutonium solutions within the range 0.1-20 g.L −1 is given.

Mots clés: Compton Peak correction; SDD detector; Plutonium; Secondary target; EDXRF; L X-rays

Domaines: Radiochimie; Chimie analytique; Instrumentations et Détecteurs [physics.ins-det]; Physique Nucléaire Expérimentale [nucl-ex]

J Py, J.-E Groetz, J.-C Hubinois, D Cardona. Determination of plutonium in nitric acid solutions using energy dispersive L X-ray fluorescence with a low power X-ray generator. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 2015, 780, pp.131-137. ⟨10.1016/j.nima.2015.01.073⟩. ⟨hal-01315386⟩