Significance and Use

A soil sampling and analysis program provides a direct means of determining the concentration and distribution of radionuclides in soil. A soil analysis program has the most significance for the preoperational monitoring program to establish baseline concentrations prior to the operation of a nuclear facility. Soil analysis, although useful in special cases involving unexpected releases, is a poor technique for assessing small incremental releases and is therefore not recommended as a method for routine monitoring releases of radioactive material. Nevertheless, because soil is an integrator and a reservoir of long-lived radionuclides, and serves as an intermediary in several of the plutonium pathways of potential importance to humans, knowledge of the concentration of plutonium in soil is essential.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the determination of plutonium in soils at levels of detection dependent on count time, sample size, detector, background, and tracer yield. This test method describes one acceptable approach to the determination of plutonium in soil.

1.2 This test method is designed for 10 g of soil, previously collected and treated as described in Practices C998 and C999 , but sample sizes up to 50 g may be analyzed by this test method. This test method may not be able to completely dissolve all forms of plutonium in the soil matrix.

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazard statements are given in Section 9.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials

C998 Practice for Sampling Surface Soil for Radionuclides

C999 Practice for Soil Sample Preparation for the Determination of Radionuclides

C1163 Practice for Mounting Actinides for Alpha Spectrometry Using Neodymium Fluoride

C1284 Practice for Electrodeposition of the Actinides for Alpha Spectrometry

D1193 Specification for Reagent Water

D3084 Practice for Alpha-Particle Spectrometry of Water

D3648 Practices for the Measurement of Radioactivity

D7282 Practice for Set-up, Calibration, and Quality Control of Instruments Used for Radioactivity Measurements

Keywords

alpha spectrometry; plutonium; radiochemistry; soil; Alpha spectrometry; Isotopic analysis; Plutonium; Radiochemical analysis; Soil (radioactive analysis); Spectroscopy--alpha spectroscopy;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 27.120.30 (Fissile materials and nuclear fuel technology)

DOI: 10.1520/C1001-11

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ASTM C1001