MARC XI draft book of abstracts 2 18 18

AmericanNuclearSociety
InternationalTopicalConference




BOOK of ABSTRACTS



MARC XI
Eleventh International Conference on
Methods and Applications of
Radioanalytical Chemistry
April 8 -13, 2018

Draft version: February 17, 2018
www.marcconference.org












MARCXIFinalBookofAbstracts

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MARCXIFinalBookofAbstracts

The organizers of the Eleventh International Conference on Methods and
Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry (MARC XI) conference are pleased to
providethefollowingsummaryofabstractsforreferencebyattendeesoftheMARC
XI conference. These materials are a supplement to the actual Program, which
providescompletedetailsoftheconferenceandsequenceofpresentations.However,
itwillnotincludeacopyofalltheabstracts,asitwouldbeaverylargepublication.
MARCXIisexpectedtobeoneofthelargestMARCconferencewithover450abstracts
submitted.

The following300+ pagesprovidethe abstracts submitted forpresentationat the
MARC XI conference as of February 5, 2018. The list will only be provided
electronicallyandonlyasmallnumberofhardcopyabstractsummarybookswillbe
available for reference at theconferenceatthedesk. Individualcopieswillnotbe
provided.

If you have any questions, please contact the program chair, Sam Glover
(). Please visit the MARC website for additional details at
www.marcconference.org.

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MARCXIFinalBookofAbstracts

Log 103. DR. ROLF ZEISLER: A CAREER REFLECTED IN 30 YEARS OF MARC. Heller-Zeisler,
S.F., National Institute of Standards and Technology (retired)
Drawing from the work authored and co-authored by Dr. Rolf Zeisler throughout the progression of the
MARC conferences, this presentation highlights a few of his many career achievements. Spanning his
extensive history with the conferences, the presentation touches on some of his notable research areas,
including low-level trace element determinations, elemental speciation, radiochemical determinations, and the
use of state-of-the-art instrumentation to push the boundaries of activation analysis. Never satisfied with
existing limitations, he constantly pushed to improve the accuracy in analytical determinations of trace
elements. To do so, he solicited a diverse group of collaborators possessing a wide range of analytical
expertise. This approach reflected his drive to identify the particular analytical technique or set of techniques
appropriate to achieve the desired goals of lowering detection limits and/or improve accuracy for the samples
being investigated. In the use of instrumental methods, this has ranged from employing instrumental neutron
activation analysis (INAA) using Compton Suppression and investigations on the accuracy of high count rate
gamma spectrometry. In prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA), he continually pushed to use coincidence
and anti-coincidence techniques, starting with measurements in pulsed cold neutron beams, and moved to
time-resolved gamma-ray spectrometry. In addition to pushing boundaries on the instrumental side, he also
remained a steadfast supporter of radiochemical techniques where appropriate, to achieve more precise results
and lower detection limits. This has been both in combination with INAA, as in the case of the human liver
sample analyses, but has also included more directed measurements by radiochemical separations, e.g. for Si
and for Al, V, and Ni in reference materials and challenging biological matrices. His work has also included
the development and characterization of new reference materials. Some of this work is highlighted here,

including his work on the air particulate matter on filters, which led to Standard Reference Material (SRM)
Air Particulate on Filter Media, SRM Fine Air Particulate Matter, and RM Air Particulate Matter on Filter
Media. These are the first RMs of this kind worldwide. His continued interest in trace element speciation
supported his involvement in the collaboration to develop the hair intercomparison materials for mercury
speciation. In addition to these, he strove to achieve the most accurate and precise measurements for existing
reference materials. To evaluate long-term stability, he initiated oxygen measurements in a coal SRM via 14
MeV NAA in order to determine any chemical change through oxidation over time. He also collaborated with
his NIST colleagues toward the demonstration of viability of INAA in chemical metrology, surveying the
uncertainty components that affect the INAA measurement process. The process was tested with the INAA
determination of Cr in SRM 1152A stainless steel. Throughout his career, he served as a mentor to young
scientists worldwide. Following this interest, in addition to his research presentations at the MARC meetings,
he worked on the continuing discussions on how to further radiochemical education in the U.S. and abroad.
He was co-organizer on three successive sessions on Nuclear Science Manpower and Education panels
(MARC-VI, VII, and VIII). The first session resulted in a resolution on Manpower Requirements and
Education in Nuclear Science, signed by attendees at the meeting. The follow-up sessions described the
progress and specific examples of programs, as well as continuing needs. Dr. Zeisler made an indelible mark
in furthering excellence in the field of analytical science and in the lives of those individuals who knew him.
Log 105. ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR OF PLUTONIUM: SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES FOR
CLEAN-UP AND SAFE LONG-TERM STORAGE. Kersting, A.B.
Today the global inventory of plutonium (Pu) is approximately 2,500 t resulting from both weapons related
activities and the nuclear fuel industry, with yearly increases estimated between 70-90 t. Due to its long halflife (239Pu 2.41 x 104 years) and high toxicity, safely isolating and storing this plutonium as well as the rest
of our high-level nuclear waste remains a pressing scientific challenge. Although we have made significant
progress on better understanding the mechanistic behavior of Pu, knowledge gaps still remain, hampering our
ability to model its transport behavior and achieve confidence in predicting its long-term behavior. These gaps
hamper progress on convincing a skeptical public that we can clean up and safely isolate this waste for the
thousands of years necessary to protect the biosphere. In this presentation, I will give an overview of our
current state of knowledge on the environmental behavior of Pu, discuss the significant progress we have
made, and highlight some of the most pressing knowledge gaps that still need addressing.

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Log 106. NUCLEAR EMERGENCIES: A CHALLENGE FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY.
Steinhauser, G.(1). (1) Leibniz University Hannover
Nuclear emergencies include nuclear accidents as well as nuclear terrorism, the use of nuclear or radiological
weapons, illicit trafficking of nuclear materials, etc. Such emergencies pose an imminent threat to the fabric of
society. They may be relevant by direct, indirect, and perceived harm to human health and the environment.
The nuclear community has established profound knowledge and strategies to help prevent nuclear
emergencies and to mitigate their effects. However, while focusing on becquerels, sieverts and grays, the
community quite often tends to forget the social aspects of a nuclear emergency. Some initiatives have been
launched recently to close this gap for a good reason: the nuclear community may effectively benefit from a
more holistic view on the subject.
Log 107. PRODUCTION AND APPLICATIONS OF STABLE AND RADIOISOTOPES: A GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Runde, W.H. Los Alamos National Laboratory
Stable and radioisopes are vital to the research and applications in a number of disciplines such as (bio,
geo)chemistry, medicine, agriculture, energy or national defense. They can occur naturally or can be produced
artificially in highly specialized facilities using separators, accelerators or nuclear reactors. This presentation
provides an overview of main production technologies and examines the current and future supply situation
for the most commonly used radioisotopes for various applications.
Log 108. CHARACTERIZATION OF SEIZED NUCLEAR MATERIALS BY A LABORATORY
SPECIALIZED IN TRACE ANALYSES OF RADIONUCLIDES FOR SAFEGUARDS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING: EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVES. Pointurier, F.; Fauré,
A.L.; Hubert, A.; Humbert, A.C.; Hubert, A.; Haedrich, H.; Marie, O.; Rivière, G.; Roche, E.; Greiner, V.;
Douysset, G.; Bernard-Michel, B.
Analytical expertise unit of the French Atomic Energy Agency (CEA) in Arpajon is mainly involved in
analysis of environmental samples for safeguards and environmental monitoring of some French nuclear sites.
In this respects, the unit is since 2001 a member of the IAEA’s Network of Analytical Laboratories for nuclear
safeguards, both for bulk and particle analysis of environmental samples. So the unit has strong experience in

radiochemical purifications of minute amounts of uranium and plutonium, and precise measurement of U and
Pu isotopic compositions at trace level by mass spectrometry (ICPMS, SIMS or TIMS). These isotopic
capabilities are completed by implementation of scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectrometry,
low-level gamma spectrometry, detection of specific elemental impurities and uranium age determination.
Moreover, since a few years, the unit is also regularly involved in the characterization of nuclear material
samples, mainly in the framework of international exercises. Therefore, developments of analytical methods
for safeguards are conducted with a view to be applicable both to the low amounts of nuclear materials
encountered in typical environmental samples and to macroscopic nuclear materials. The goals of this
presentation are to show how a laboratory mainly specialized in the analysis of radionuclides (mainly uranium
and plutonium) at trace level can efficiently contribute to the full characterization of macroscopic nuclear
materials, to present capabilities, results and experience acquired through CMX exercises, and also to discuss
how these capabilities can be improved, both regarding timelines and diversity of the provided information.

Log 110. ROLF ZEISLER AND OPPORTUNITIES IN NUCLEAR METHODS. Lindstrom, R. M.
National Institute of Standards and Technology
In 1986, Rolf Zeisler seized an opportunity at the newly opened cold-neutron guide hall at KFA Jülich, and
arranged for NIST to gain the experience to design our own system. With Matthias Rossbach, we made 90
hours of measurements in three intense weeks, and then two weeks later presented our work at MTAA-7. The
title was Rolf’s: “Activation Analysis Opportunities Using Cold Neutron Beams”. This paper laid out all the
issues to be developed in the next decades of progress in PGAA. Rolf continued to be innovative in applying
nuclear methods to improve elemental analysis. His leadership in environmental specimen banking and air

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particulate collection and analysis has led to numerous Standard Reference Materials, and his enthusiasm for
improved instrumentation has substantially improved the accuracy and applicability of nuclear analytical
methods at NIST and elsewhere. Rolf’s activities in the analytical community were extensive, being deeply

involved in the organization of MARC, MTAA, NAMLS, ANS, and other series of meetings to bring his
expertise and passion to us all.
Log 111. THE USE OF CROSS-LINKED ANTIMICROBIAL NANOCOMPOSITE FILMS AND
GAMMA IRRADIATION TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF FRESH MEATS. Monique Lacroix (1),
Avik Khan (1), Hejer Gallah (1), Bernard Riedl (2), Jean Bouchard (3), Agnes Safrany (4). (1) INRS-Institut
Armand-Frappier/Canadian Irradiation Centre. (2) Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université
Laval. (3) FP Innovation (4) International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre.
A 125 .g/mL of nisin and 30 mM of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) were immobilized on the
surface of the nanocrystal (CNC)/chitosan nanocomposite films by using genipin as a cross-linking agent. The
effect of low-dose gamma irradiation on the antimicrobial activity of the films was tested in vitro against
Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The genipin cross-linked films prepared by irradiating at 1.5
kGy demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity against both the bacteria at the end of 35 days of storage
at 37 °C showing an inhibition zone of 27.1 mm for E. coli and 27.7 mm for L. monocytogenes as compared
to 23.4 mm and 23.8 mm for the same respective bacteria at day 1. The films restricted the growth of
psychrotrophs, mesophiles, and Lactobacillus spp. (LAB) in fresh pork loin meats and increased the
microbiological shelf-life of meat sample by more than 5 weeks. The films also reduced the count of E. coli
and L. monocytogenes in meat samples by 4.4 and 5.7 log CFU/g, respectively, after 35 days of storage.
Log 112. EFFECT OF GAMMA-IRRADIATION IN COMBINATION WITH MARINATING TO
ENSURE THE SAFETY AND TO PROTECT THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF READY-TO-COOK
MEAT FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS. Monique Lacroix (1) Yosra Ben Fadhel (1),
Valentin Leroy (1,2), Dominic Dussault (3), France St-Yves (4), Martine Lauzon (4), Stéphane Salmieri (1),
Majid Jamshidian (1), Dang Khanh Vu (1), Sélim Kermasha (5). (1) INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier. (2)
University of Tours, 60 rue du Plat D'Etain 37020 Tours cedex, France. (3) BSA Food Ingredients Inc., 6005,
boul. Couture, St-Leonard, Qc, H1P 3E1, Canada. (4) Montmorency College, 475 boulevard de l’Avenir,
Laval, Qc, H7N 5H9, Canada. (5) Mc Gill University, 21, 111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Quebec,
Canada H9X 3V9.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combining marinating and .-irradiation at doses of 1, 1.5,
and 3 kGy on Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Clostridium sporogenes in raw meat
packed under vacuum and stored at 4 °C and to estimate its safety and shelf-life. Further, the effect of
combined treatments on sensorial, nutritional values (lipid oxidation, concentration of thiamin and riboflavin),

and color were evaluated. The study demonstrated that the use of marinade in combination with a low dose of
.-irradiation (1.5 kGy) could act in synergy to reduce to undetectable levels of pathogenic bacteria and
increase the shelf-life of ready-to-cook meat loin without affecting its sensorial and nutritional quality.





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Log 113. RADON IN DRINKING WATER IN MEXICO CITY. Espinosa, G. (1); Golzarri, J . l . (1).
Physics Instituto, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
Exposure to radon occurs when people drink water or breathe gas radon emitted from drinking water
containing radon. International Epidemiological authorities recognized that exposure to radon from drinking
water is a potential health hazard, as has been considered worldwide. In Mexico City, with more than 20
million inhabitants, the population is exposed to the emanation of radon of the drinking water from the federal
water supply system. Presented in this paper are the results of the radon concentration measurements in
drinking water, from 45 wells of the federal water supply system, that represents the 33% of the drinking
water consumed by the Mexico City population. The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) has proposed a limit of 11.1 Bq/1 for the radon concentration level in drinking water in order to
minimize the radiological risk to the population. In this work, the measurements of radon (222Rn)
concentration in drinking water in Mexico City revealed concentration ranging from the lower limit of the
instrumentation, 0.11 Bq/l, up to 2.4 Bq/l. The radon concentration measurements were made using an
AlphaGUARD radon measurement system together with an AquaKIT portable degassing system, the latter
with an air flow of 0.3 l/min, using Genitron Instruments Data EXPERT software, following a very well
established protocol. These radon concentration levels are very important from the public health point of
view, and it will be recommendable to measure the radon concentration in drinking water periodically in order

to prevent the occurrence of epidemiological problems in the population.
Log 114. LONG-LIVED CONTAMINANTS IN CYCLOTRON-PRODUCED
RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS - MEASUREMENT AND DOSIMETRY. Metzger, R.L.(1); Lasche,
G.P.(2); Eckerman, K.F.(3); Leggett, R.E.(4). (1) RSE, Inc.; (2) Snakedance Scientific.; (3) Easterly
Scientific; (4) ORNL
Oxygenated target waters of cyclotron targets contain long-lived contaminants due to (p,n) reactions in the
HAVAR target window that are spalled into the target water. These contaminants are largely removed during
the synthesis of the final imaging agent. Currently, the USP requires that the final drug product be 99.5% pure,
so the total activity of the long-lived contaminants can be no more than 0.5% of the final radiopharmaceutical
product. A method has been developed to identify and quantify the primary contaminants using high
resolution gamma spectroscopy and VRF, a new spectrum analysis tool. Uptake, retention, and excretion
functions for each of the contaminating isotopes in a soluble, injected chemical form have also been calculated
using International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 123 models and are presented
in the Appendix. In addition, specific organ and effective dose coefficients were also calculated using ICRP
Publication 103 tissue weighting factors and are also presented in the Appendix. Typical imaging agents have
contaminant loads far below the USP limit and contribute negligible doses to the patients receiving the drugs.
Log 115. LONG-LIVED CONTAMINANTS IN CYCLOTRON-PRODUCED
RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS - HOMELAND SECURITY DETECTORS. Metzger, R.L.(1); Van
Riper, K. A.(2); Eckerman, K.F.(3); Leggett, R.E.(4). (1) RSE, Inc.; (2) White Rock Science; (3) ORNL; (4)
ORNL
In the USA during 2015 over 1,718,500 clinical PET scans were performed in 2,380 centers. Patients
undergoing these studies will alarm homeland security monitors at borders, ports, and some airports for up to
two days due to the positron-annihilation photons (0.511 MeV) from the imaging isotope F-18 (110 min halflife). In some radiopharmaceuticals, long-lived contaminants generated from the activation and spallation of
elements in the HAVAR window of the cyclotron target may also be present in the patient dose. In this work,
we have modeled a typical homeland security portal monitor in MCNP, and determined its sensitivity to each
of the possible contaminating isotopes found in PET radiopharmaceuticals when distributed in patient
phantoms. These data were combined with the time-dependent uptake/retention functions for the
contaminating isotopes, developed in other work, to identify the isotopes that can cause alarms for substantial
periods of time after the short-lived imaging agent has decayed away. Results indicate that Cr-51, Mn-54, Co56, and Co-58 are avidly retained in the body, have relatively long biological half-times, and have energetic
photon emissions that couple well with the large area scintillators commonly found in Homeland Security

detectors. Cyclotron-produced radiopharmaceuticals that contain any of these isotopes as contaminants can

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cause patients to alarm Homeland Security detectors for several months after the F-18 has decayed away, even
with contaminant loads that are <10% of the USP allowed values.

Log 117. EXPLOSIVE DISPERSAL OF ACTIVATED KBR: A REALISTIC AND CHALLENGING
TRAINING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE NATION'S FIRST RESPONDERS. Nick Mann (1); John
Giles (1); Kevin Carney (1); Jennifer Turnage (1); Corey Hines (2); Kaitlyn Restis (2). (1) Idaho National
Laboratory; (2) Washington State University
To date, the malicious use of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) in a public setting is an untested threat
to the nation's first responders. Although untested, proper training and preparation are required in the event
that an actual radiological terror incident occurs. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has a long lived and
successful training program to address the potential need for interaction with both nuclear material and highly
radioactive sources, including RDDs. Several emergency response communities have expressed the need for
more realistic conditions to support training, including testing of detectors, sampling technologies, and
characterization of radioactive dispersals. To meet this need, the INL and Washington State University have
created a unique and challenging training environment by dispersing irradiated potassium bromide (KBr) by
way of high explosives. The INL is the only location able to provide a realistic training environment of this
type that immerses students in RDD type scenarios with authentic measurement, equipment, and radiological
source materials.
Log 118. ACTIVITY CONCENTRATION OF NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIONUCLIDES AND
RADON EXHALATION RISKS ON DWELLERS FROM COMMERCIAL BUILDING MATERIALS
IN NIGERIA. Omeje Maxwell (1); Adewoyin Olusegun O. (1); Joel Emmanuel S. (1); Usikalu M. R. (1);
Cyril Ehi-Eromosele (2); Odukoya Abiodun M. (3); Oyawoye Folajimi O. (3); Hassina Mouri (4); Mohamad
Alam Saeed (5); Zaidi Embong (6). (1) Department of Physics, College of Science and Technology, Covenant

University, P.M.B 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; (2) Department of Chemistry, College of Science and
Technology, Covenant University, P.M.B 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; (3) Department of Geosciences,
Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria; (4) Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Auckland
Park Kingsway Campus, University of Johannesburg, South Africa; (5) Department of Physics, Faculty of
Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia; (6) Faculty of Science, Technology
and Human Development, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, BatuPahat, Johor,
Malaysia
A study on the building materials of different brands of tiles, marbles, cements, and sand were used to study
the radioactivity and its radiological exposure to inhabitants in Nigeria using High Purity Germanium Gamma
(HPGe) detector. The activity concentrations obtained were used to estimate the radon exhalation rate and
other radiological risks of radium equivalent activity (Raeq), internal hazard index (Hin), external hazard
index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (DR), annual effective dose rate (AEDR), gamma index, and alpha index. The
mean activity concentrations in all the samples ranged from 51.5 ± 9.3, 72.46 ± 17.65, and 217.05 ± 44.31
Bqkg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K respectively. The Raeq activity obtained from all the analyzed samples
were noted to be < 370 Bqkg-1 as the recommended dose limiting safe value for bulk media as presumed. The
value of 122.52 nGyh-1 noted in Virony tile sample for the indoor absorbed dose rate is higher than the
weighted population world average value of 80 nGyh-1 by a factor of 1.53. The highest annual effective dose
obtained from this study falls below the maximum dose limit of 1 recommended by international standard.
The correlation coefficient between the DR and Raeq activity indicated positive, revealing that increase in
Raeq enhances the dose exposure to the dwellers. It was observed that the radon concentration varies from
0.1275 to 0.4075 which is < 1, indicates that the radon exhalation from all the analyzed samples would cause
indoor concentration lower than 200 Bqkg-1 safe level for dwellers.





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Log 119. RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD RISK OF 226RA, 232TH AND 40K FOUND IN SELECTED
BUILDING MATERIALS AND IN NIGERIA. Omeje Maxwell (1); Adewoyin, O.Olusegun (1); Joel,
Emmanuel S. (1); Usikalu, M. R. (1); Cyril, Ehi-Eromosele (2); Odukoya Abiodun M. (3); Oyawoye Folajimi
O. (3); Hassina Mouri (4); Mohamad Alam Saeed (5); Zaidi Embong (6). (1) Department of Physics, College
of Science and Technology, Covenant University, P.M.B 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria; (2) Department of
Chemistry, College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, P.M.B 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria;
(3) Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria; (4) Department of Geology,
Faculty of Science, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, University of Johannesburg, South Africa; (5)
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia;
(6) Faculty of Science, Technology and Human Development, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400
Parit Raja, BatuPahat, Johor, Malaysia
The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K measured in commonly used in Nigeria from
commercial supplier using High Purity Germanium Gamma (HPGe) detector. The mean activity
concentrations in the samples ranged from 27 +/- 9.5 to 76.5 +/- 2.5 Bqkg-1 for 226Ra, 41 +/- 4 to 96 +/- 8.3
Bqkg-1 for 232Th and 140 +/- 7.9 to 940 +/- 19.2 Bqkg-1 for 40K respectively. The highest radium equivalent
(Raeq) of 264.5 Bqkg-1 was found to be < 370 Bqkg-1 as the recommended dose limiting safe value for bulk
media as presumed, the highest value of internal hazard index (Hin) and external hazard index (Hex) of 0.894
and 0.744 respectively were also < 1. The absorbed dose rate (DR) with a value of 122.52 nGyh-1 noted in
Virony tile sample is higher than the weighted population world average value of 80 nGyh-1 by a factor of
1.53. The highest annual effective dose rate (AEDR) of 0.601 mSvy-1 reported in PNT ceramics but was
found to be less < 1 mSvy-1. The investigated materials have the values of Hin, Hex and AEDR greater than
0.5 but less than1, showing that the dose impact exceeds the exemption dose level of 0.3 mSvy-1 for AEDR
but complies with the upper limit of dose principle of 1 mSvy-1.
Log 120. ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN VARIOUS COMMERCIAL TILES
USED FOR BUILDING PURPOSES IN NIGERIA. E.S Joel (1); Omeje Maxwell (1); O.O Adewoyin (1);
Folajimi (2); Ehi-Eromosele Cyril (3). (1) Department of Physics, Covenant University Ota, Nigeria; (2)
Department of Geosciences, University of Lagos, Nigeria; (3) Department of Chemistry, Covenant University
Ota, Nigeria

In this study, we evaluated the activity concentration of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) for
fifteen (15) different brands of tile samples used for building purposes in Nigeria. The tile samples were
analyzed using High purity Germanium gamma detector. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th,
and 40K were observed to be 61.1, 70.2 and 514.7 Bq/kg respectively. Various hazard indices such as
absorbed dose rate, external and internal hazard index, and annual effective dose rate were calculated. The
obtained results showed that the mean radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (D), external
and internal hazard index, and the annual effective dose (AEDR) equivalent were: 204.42 Bq/kg, 177.61
nGyh-1, 0.55, 0.77 and 0.96 mSvyr-1, respectively. The average value of radium equivalent obtained in this
study is less than that of the recommended value of 370 Bq/kg but the average values of the other radiological
hazards for some samples are found to be slightly above international recommended values except Hex, Hin,
and AEDE, which are within the international reference value of unity. The measured concentrations of these
radioactive materials were correlated with other previous results obtained from similar tile materials used in
other countries and found to be in good agreement, however, recommends for decoration in Nigeria.
Log 121. DRILLERS' EXPOSURE TO NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY AND ITS RADIOLOGICAL
RISKS IN LOW LATITUDE REGION USING NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS. Omeje
Maxwell (1); Theophilus Aanuoluwa Adagunodo (1); Sayo Akinloye Akinwumi (1); Olusegun Oladotun
Adewoyini (1); Emmanuel Sunday Joel (1); Wagiran Husin (2); and Suhaimi Hamzah Mohd (3). (1)
Department of Physics, CST, Covenant University, P.M.B. 1023, (Postal Code 112233), Ota, Ogun State,
Nigeria; (2) Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi, Malaysia, 81310, Joho,
Malaysia; (3) Malaysia Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul, Ehsan, Malaysia
The radioactivity of 226Ra as well as 232Th decay chains for the lithological rock samples could be at
equilibrium considering the age as well as the isotopic mass proportion, which is assumed to be equal to its

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natural isotopic. Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is adopted for this study with the aim of minimizing
sample size as well as less counting rate to estimate the radioactivity concentration in rock samples. Two

boreholes were drilled in Abuja in order to randomly collect the rock samples from three different layers of
each site. All the samples were duplicated for each radionuclide examination, resulting in twelve samples in
all. The results showed that the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the two sites are in the
order 232Th > 226Ra > 40K. 226Ra and 232Th possess activity concentration greater than the world's average
while 40K activity is lesser than the world's average. The radiological risks estimated showed that more than
half of the parameters used nearly exhibit greater values than the global average values. It is concluded that
Abuja is underlain by rocks of low potassic value. If the drillers do not take caution about the geologic
formation of the subsurface and apply necessary precautions before drilling commences, over-exposure to
these -radiation may pose unquantifiable health risks to them.
Log 124. UNCONVENTIONAL METAL-PHOSPHONATE FRAMEWORKS AS
RADIOANALYTICAL SEPARATION CANDIDATES: A HYBRID PERSPECTIVE. Kai Lv.(1); XiaoLin Wang.(2) (1) Institue of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics. (2) Chi
na Academy of Engineering Physics
A category of hierarchically porous metal (IV, V) alkylphosphonate frameworks have been fabiracated and
exploited as radioanalytical separation candidates, harvesting lanthanides or light actinides from a multitude of
radionuclide surrogates in solid phase extraction mode. It is demonstrated that hierarchically porous
morphology and unsaturated phosphonate ligands collectively dictate the uptake discrepancy in acidic media,
enabling the establishment of selective, facile radioanalytical separation schemes for actinides or fission
products. Moreover, miscellaneous organic inorganic brid materials will be briefly reviewed in the "cradle to
grave" perspective together with the emphasis on this class of unconventional metal-phosphonate framework
(UMPF), thus shedding some light on the expansion of efficient practical radioanalytical separation protocols.

Log 125. APPLICATION OF SILICON DRIFT DETECTOR TO NUCLEAR FORENSICS. Thornock,
K.(1); Shield, K.(2); Rundberg, R.(3). (1) University of Nevada, Las Vegas. (2) University of California,
Berkeley. (3) Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Silicon Drift Detectors are an emerging category of semiconductor detectors capable of measuring x-ray
photons. They are uniquely capable of measuring x-rays in the fingerprint region below 18 keV. To determine
the resolution and capabilities of a silicon drift detector, we first calibrated it using a variety of radioactive
elements. In the process of this calibration, we observed peaks from the decay of Ho-166m that had previously
only been theorized. In addition, we found the silicon drift detector capable of distinguishing between U-235,
U-238, and Pu-239, providing potential applications in nuclear forensics. Further analysis of data from the

silicon drift detector may provide methods to determine isotopic ratios of these elements and additional special
nuclear materials.
Log 126. RAPID METHOD FOR LOW LEVEL SR-90 DETERMINATION IN SEAWATER.
Visetpotjanakit, S.(1); Nakkaew, N.(2). (1) Office of Atoms for Peace. (2) Office of Atoms for Peace
Determination of low level Sr-90 in seawater has been widely developed for purpose of environmental
monitoring and radiological research since Sr-90 is one of the most hazardous radionuclides released from
atmospheric nuclear weapon testing, nuclear waste discharge, and nuclear accident. Liquid extraction
technique using bis-2-etylhexyl-phosphoric acid to separate and purify Y-90 and Cherenkov counting using
liquid scintillation counter to determine Y-90 in secular equilibrium to Sr-90 were developed to monitor Sr-90
in our Asian Pacific ocean. The analytical performance was validated for the accuracy, precision, and trueness
criteria. Sr-90 determination in seawater using various low concentrations in a range of 0.01 - 1 Bq/L of 30
liter spiked seawater samples and 0.5 liter IAEA-RML-2015-01 proficiency test samples were performed for
statistical evaluation. The results had relative bias in range from 3.42% to 12.28%, below accepted relative
bias of 25% and passed the criteria which could confirm our analytical performance of low level Sr-90

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determination in seawater. Moreover the approach is economical, non-laborious, and fast to analyse Sr-90 in
seawater.
Log 127. COORDINATION STRUCTURE OF URANIUM COMPLEXES IN DISORDERED
SYSTEMS USING X-RAY ABSORPTION FINE STRUCTURE SPECTROSCOPY. Linjuan Zhang(1);
Jian-Qiang Wang(1,2). (1) Department of Molten Salt Chemistry and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of
Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2) Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai
Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China

Separation of uranium from spent nuclear fuel is a key part of advanced nuclear fuel cycle systems, in which
high-temperature molten salt is an important reaction and electrolytic media in fuel reprocessing. In addition,

extraction of uranium from seawater is expected as a rich supply for long-term nuclear power production, in
which development of robust adsorbents with high selectivity is critical to realize the feasibility of uranium
extraction. Understanding the coordination structure of uranium in high temperature molten salt and the
adsorption mechanism between the functionalized ligand and uranium in aqueous solution helps to improve
the separation and extraction efficiency, and thus guide the electrolysis and distillation technologies as well as
the design of adsorbent functionalized groups. The fundamental challenges above are closely related with the
coordination chemistry of uranium in disordered systems: molten salt and aqueous solution. However,
conventional experimental techniques are disabled, whereas synchrotron radiation (SR) techniques are
promising for extracting the local coordination environment around uranium. Among SR-based techniques, Xray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) has been widely confirmed as an element-selective and
atomic level probe, which can unveil the chemical environment and bonding information in the actinide
chemistry. In present work, we will discuss our research progress on the coordination environment of uranium
complex in molten salts and aqueous solution using XAFS measurement as well as theoretical simulation.
Log 128. THE AUTOREDUCTION KINETICS OF 243AM. Grimes, T.S. (1); Horne, G. P. (1); Mezyk,
S.P. (2); Dares, C.J. (3). (1) Idaho National Laboratory. (2) California State Long Beach. (3) Florida
International University
Although the first reports of a hexavalent oxidation state for americium are from the 1950s, this valence state
is difficult to prepare and maintain in acidic solutions. Therefore, past reports on its basic chemistry have
sometimes been inconsistent. Given our group's interest in the chemistry of Am(VI) for separations purposes,
we have reinvestigated its autoreduction kinetics. The concentration changes of Am(III), Am(V) and Am(VI)
were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. The Am(III) molar extinction coefficients are known; however, the
unknown values for Am(V) and Am(VI) across a range of nitric acid concentrations were determined by
sensitivity analysis in which mass balance with the known total americium concentration was obtained.
Reduction rates exhibited zero-order kinetics with respect to the concentration of hexavalent americium, and
pseudo-first-order kinetics with respect to the concentration of total americium. The rate constants varied with
nitric acid concentration. This indicates that reduction is due to reaction of hexavalent americium with the
radiolysis products of total americium decay, and that those reducing species concentrations vary with the
concentration of irradiated nitric acid, since the acid itself is redox active under radiolysis. Multi-scale
radiation chemical modeling using a reaction set with both known and optimized rate coefficients was
employed to achieve excellent agreement with the experimental results, and indicates radiolytically-produced
nitrous acid from nitric acid radiolysis, and hydrogen peroxide from water radiolysis are the important

reducing agents.
Log 129. ACTINIDE MATERIAL AND CHEMISTRY RESEARCH IN SHANGHAI
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION FACILITY. Hongliang Bao(1), Jian Lin(1), Linjuan Zhang(1), JianQiang Wang(1,2). (1)Department of Molten Salt Chemistry and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied
Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.(2)Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Institute of
Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China

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The nuclear fuel cycle consists of front end that prepares uranium or thorium fuel for use in nuclear reactors
and back end to dispose of spent nuclear fuel. Chemical processing of spent fuel material to recover the
remaining product, such as uranium, thorium, and other elements from fission products to reprocess nuclear
fuel is still a big challenge. Understanding the structure and chemical state in complex systems, change of
valence state and concentrations during the process, and chemical behaviors at the interface of two-phases are
possible with different power advance synchrotron radiation techniques. Recently, we developed some
techniques and performed some basic research of uranium, thorium chemistry in SSRF. As such, we
synthesize series of thorium mixed selenite selenate compounds, determined the coordination structure. We
also built in situ XAS platform to investigate the structure change of UO2-ThO2 from molecular level at
different conditions by HERFD-XAS. Furthermore, the first actinide research synchrotron beamline in China
is in-building and will serve for the community of actinide material and chemistry.
Log 130. MICRO SCALE MONITORING OF COMPLEXATION AND PHASE TRANSFER
KINETICS OF TRIBUTYL PHOSPHATE AND ITS DEGRADATION PRODUCTS DURING
SOLVENT EXTRACTION. Howett, S. (1); Bottenus, D. (1); Lines, A. (1); Louie, C. (1,2); Bryan, S. (1);
Delegard, C. (3); Clark, S. (1,2); Pitts, W.C. (1); Casella, A. (1). (1) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
(2) Washington State University. (3) TradeWind Services LLC.
The efficiency and effectivity of solvent extraction is dictated by butyl phosphate (BP) extractants and actinide
transport across the liquid:liquid interface. Tributyl phosphate, one such extractant in liquid:liquid
reprocessing, undergoes radiolytic degradation and hydrolysis, resulting in dibutyl phosphate (DBP) and

monobutyl phosphate (MBP) yields. Both species can result in the production of interfacial solids at the
organic:aqueous phase boundary, reducing the extraction efficiency and effectivity. To understand the
formation of these unwanted solids, the kinetics of complexation and the interfacial mass transfer of BP
species at and across the interface must be understood. The extraction apparatus used is a microfluidic device.
Alternating organic and aqueous phase droplets flow down the microfluidic channel, providing a controlled
interface between droplets. Raman spectroscopy is used as an on-line monitor for the phase transfer of species
between the alternative phases. The monitoring allows for direct measurement of complexes and species
between the alternating phases. Raman spectra, in combination with chemometric modeling, result in
concentration measurements that can be modeled as a function of time, allowing for interfacial mass transfer
kinetic analysis.
Log 131. IMPROVED MEASUREMENTS OF THORON (RN-220) IN NATURAL WATERS.
Chanyotha, S.(1); Sola, P.(2); Kritsananuwat, R.(1); Lane-Smith, D.(3); Burnett, W.C.(4). (1) Chulalongkorn
University. (2) Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology. (3) Durridge Co., Inc.. (4) Florida State University
Thoron (220Rn) in water measurements can be useful for prospecting for points of submarine groundwater
discharge (SGD) into surface waters. With a 56 s half-life, any detection of thoron must mean that one is
close to a source. In order to improve measurement sensitivity, we have investigated the influence of airflow
rates on both radon and thoron measurements using a RAD7 detector. We observed that radon response is
high and constant in the range of airflow rates from 0.5 to 2.5 L/min but drops in a linear manner at higher
flows. Thoron, on the other hand, increases in response as the flow rate increases with almost a 100%
increase from 0.5 to 2.5 L/min, where the response levels off. Thus, 2.5 L/min represents an optimum flow
rate for measuring both radon and thoron at the same time. Field data from a coastal zone off Rayong,
Thailand demonstrates that use of an external air pump circulating air at 2.5 L/min produced a thoron response
65% higher than a standard setup, reasonably close to our laboratory findings.
Log 132. VALIDATION OF AN AUTOMATED CHROMATOGRAPHY DEVICE FOR ACTINIDE
SEPARATION. Doug Hardtmayer110 (1); Anne Co (2); Ning Xu (3); Lei Cao (1). (1) Nuclear Analysis and
Radiation Sensing Lab, Ohio State University. (2) Co Research Group, Department of Chemistry, The Ohio
State University. (3) Los Alamos National Laboratory.
An automated actinide separation instrumentation via ion exchange chromatography has been developed by
Los Alamos National Laboratory and validated at The Ohio State University. An automated approach, for
what is normally a manual process, for actinide separation is desired for multiple reasons, such as limiting

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radiation exposure to employees, improving measurement precision, and reducing the overall waste generation
from the process. A device, known as the Automated Multi-Column Actinide Separation System, designed by
Los Alamos National Laboratory, and fabricated by J2 Scientific, was validated by The Ohio State University
for its liquid handling accuracy and chemical separation precision, including the measurement of trace
elemental recoveries by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. After empirically determining that
elemental recovery was possible and well within the margin of error, it was determined that AMCASS was a
feasible option for automating the chromatographic process of separating actinide matrix from its trace
impurities for nuclear material identification and characterization.
Log 133. APPLICATION OF LASER SPECTROSCOPY FOR DETECTION OF ACTINIDES AND
LANTHANIDES IN SOLUTIONS. I.N. Izosimov, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research
This work is devoted to applications of the time-resolved laser-induced luminescence (TRLIF) spectroscopy
and time-resolved laser-induced chemiluminescence (TRLIC) spectroscopy for detection of lanthanides and
actinides. Results of the experiments on Eu, Sm, U, and Pu detection in solutions are presented. Pu, Np, and
some U compounds do not produce direct luminescence in solutions, but when excited by laser radiation, they
can induce chemiluminescence [1-4] of chemiluminogen (luminol in our experiments). It is shown that multiphoton schemes of chemiluminescence excitation makes chemiluminescence not only a highly sensitive, but
also a highly selective tool for the detection of lanthanides/actinides in solutions.
Log 134. PLUG-AND-PLAY RADIATION SENSOR COMPONENTS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL
SYSTEM PLATFORM. Kazemeini, M. (1); Cook, Z. (1); Lee, J. (1); Barzilov, A. (1); Yim, W. (1). (1)
University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Mobile radiation sensing techniques for surge deployment and wide area search are important for nuclear
security applications. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can be utilized as robotic platforms to carry radiation
sensors. The suite of radiation sensors that can be easily attached to the robot in field conditions is required.
We developed radiation sensors that are integrated into UAS as plug-and-play interchangeable components.
The CLYC sensor was designed for simultaneous neutron and gamma measurements. Its electronics enables

digital analysis of detector signals, including neutron/photon pulse shape discrimination with figure of merit
2.3. The ambient temperature CZT sensor was designed for high-resolution gamma spectroscopy. The
spectrum is analyzed automatically, locating peaks and calculating their intensities. USB hardware
connections were used for both sensors to bridge the sensors and the main controller using the UAS power
source, and the Robot Operation System (ROS) was used for data communication. To streamline the process
of bridging disparate components into a cohesive network, the collection of libraries describing the
publisher/subscriber communication of ROS nodes was developed for these sensors. The sensor's design
supports hot-plugging, and does not require a system restart. The time and position data were added via ROS
to measured intensities of gamma-ray peaks and neutron rates enabling the input for the UAS flight control to
search for specific sources of radiation. This method can be used for source localization as well as for
mapping the radiation area. The experimental testing of the developed sensors using neutron and gamma
sources is discussed.
Log 135. DEVELOPMENT OF BULK URANIUM AND PLUTONIUM AGE DATING FOR
NUCLEAR FORENSICS. Higginson, M.A. (1); Dawkins, B. (1); Taylor, F. (1); Kaye, P. (1), Palmer, K.
(1); Heads, P. (1); Firkin, S. (1); Shaw, T. (1); King, J. (1); Huggins, T. (1); Thomas, N. (1); Knight, D. (1)
and Thompson, P. (1). (1) (1) AWE Aldermaston, UK.
The model age of a nuclear material is an important signature to constrain the production history of an
unknown nuclear material. The age can also be used to determine links between separate samples of interest in
a nuclear forensics investigation. This presentation will display the development of a uranium and plutonium
age dating capability for bulk nuclear materials developed to compliment trace level age dating analysis. This
work utilised vacuum assisted and automated separations, and a suite of validated analysis techniques (TIMS,
ICP-MS, AS, GS, Assay) to determine the ages of materials and CRMs of known production history. The aim
was to validate a rapid robust quantification scheme for plutonium and uranium materials. The methodology
allows for the determination of 241-Pu/241-Am, 240-Pu/236-U, 239-Pu/235-U, 238-Pu/234-U atom ratios for

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bulk plutonium materials and allows comparison of chronometers in a material with model age. For uranium,
the methodology allows the determination of 234-U /230-Th and 235-U/231-Pa atom ratios, with the
protactinium tracer calibrated using an in-house developed TK-400 resin on column method. The materials
analysed had concordant ages with known production histories, leading to the potential for expanding this
work to additional chronometers.

Log 136. SYNTHESIS AND RADIOMETRIC EVALUATION OF DIGLYCOLAMIDE
FUNCTIONALIZED MESOPOROUS SILICA FOR THE CHROMATOGRPAPHIC SEPARATION
OF ACTINIDES TH, PA AND U. Hopkins, Philip (1); Mastren, Tara (1); Florek, Justyna A. (2); Copping,
Roy (3); Brugh, Mark (1); Wilbur, D. Scott (4); John, Kevin Dale (1); Nortier, Francois Meiring (1); Kleitz,
Freddy (2); Birnbaum, Eva R. (1); Fassbender, Michael Ernst (1). (1) Chemistry Division, Los Alamos
National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA. (2) Faculty of Chemistry, Department of
Inorganic Chemistry - Functional Materials, University of Vienna, Waehringer Strasse 42, 1090 Wien,
Austria. (3) Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
TN 37831, USA. (4) Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105,
USA.
The separation of Th, Pa, and U is of high importance in many applications including nuclear power, nuclear
waste, environmental, nuclear forensics, and nuclear medicine. Diglycolamide (DGA) based resins have
shown the ability to separate many elements; however, these resins have non-covalent impregnation of the
DGA molecules on the resin backbone resulting in co-elution of the extraction molecule during separations,
limiting its long-term and repeated use. Covalently binding the DGA molecules onto silica is one way to
overcome this issue. Measured equilibrium distribution coefficients of normal extraction chromatographic
DGA and a covalently bound form (KIT-6-N-DGA) are reported. Several differences are observed between
the two forms. The most significant difference was observed for U, which demonstrated significantly lower
sorption behavior on KIT-6-N-DGA. These results indicate that accelerator-produced U isotopes can be
separated from Th and Pa using KIT-6-N-DGA, a task that could not be completed with the use of normal
DGA alone.
Log 137. PRELIMINARY STUDY OF PGNAA SYSTEM AT CARR. Yonggang Yao (1); Caijin Xiao
(1); Xiangchun Jin (1); Weixu Yun (2); Cong Shi (2); Xudong Liu (1); Junkai Yang (1); Chanjuan Tang
(1); Pingsheng Wang (1); Jianwei Li (3); Bangfa Ni (1). (1) China Institute of Atomic Energy. (2) Chengdu

University of Technology. (3) China Institute for Radiation and Protection.
As a complementary method for light elements determination of NAA, PGNAA is widely used in industrial,
geological, and material science, etc. So in addition to INAA, there are two PGNAA systems with thermal and
cold neutron beams that will be completely established at China advance research reactor (CARR) in 2018.
Each PGNAA system consists of collimating beam tube, chopper, shutter, gamma-ray detectors, beam stop,
and sample chamber with automatic changer. Herein, the height, direction, and aperture size of thermal
neutron beam guide can be remotely adjusted by means of four motors. A cold neutron source was installed
and tested at CARR in Oct. 2017, and preliminary PGNAA experiments were carried out at cold neutron
guide. The Au-foil activation method was used to monitor the neutron flux with and without cold source. One
sample can be simultaneously analyzed by two sets of detector (electric cooled HPGe with 60% relative
efficiency, and LaBr3/BGO with dimensions of 3.x 3.). Additionally, the HPGe detector was surrounded by
Compton suppression system (CSS) with a total of 8 BGO crystals to reduce the background, improve the
detection limits, and also lower the measurement uncertainty. All detectors are coupled to ORTEC model 502
MCA operated by MAESTRO software. In 2018, cold neutron PGAA will be improved further by installing
the focusing guide. Therefore, the combination of the INAA, PGAA with CSS and focusing guide can permit
CIAE to enhance the capability of NAA by not only lowering the detection limits, but also by extending the
scope of the elements.

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Log 138. COUPLING OF THE LIQUID SAMPLING-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE GLOW
DISCAHRGE (LS-APGD) WITH AN ORBITRAP MASS ANALYZER: A NEW PARADIGM IN
ISOTOPE RATIO MASS SPECTROMETRY. Marcus, R. K. (1), Hoegg, E.D. (1), Koppenaal, D. W. (2),
Manard, B. T. (3). (1) Clemson University. (2) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. (3) Los Alamos
National Laboratory
Isotope ratio mass spectrometry is an essential element in the tool boxes of both nuclear safeguards and
nuclear forensics. While thermal ionization and multicollector ICP-MS are the benchmark methods, neither

instrument is suitable for operation outside of pristine laboratory environments and can be suspect in terms of
sample turnaround times. The liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD)
microplasma was initially developed for instances where rapid, in-field analyses were required. The coupling
with an Orbitrap mass analyzer yielded an instrument of high sensitivity, high mass resolution, and the ability
to readily meet IAEA ITVs for depleted, natural, and low-enriched uranium (high enriched not evaluated to
date). While the Orbitrap is certainly not "transportable", its weight, size, and relative operational simplicity
(in the commercial implementation) do allow operation in forward operating bases (FOBs) or in nuclear
facilities. The ability to analyze samples in the solid, liquid, and gaseous states is particularly attractive in the
face of diverse analytical challenges. The further ability to directly speciate elements (i.e., identify ligands) of
interest is a powerful attribute as well. We will describe here the basic characteristics of the LSAPGD/Orbitrap instrument regarding determinations of uranium (in solution and solids) and xenon (as a gas).
Representative figures of merit including isotope ratio precision and accuracy, analytical quantification, and
limits of detection will be presented. It is believed that the instrument under development fills a vital void in
the needs to support safeguards and forensics activities.
Log 139. FAST NEUTRON IMAGING USING A SCINITLLATOR DETECTOR ARRAY. Hartman, J.
(1); Barzilov, A. (1). (1) University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The application of a scintillator detector array was studied for fast neutron imaging. Computational modeling
was carried out using the MCNP6 code to model source, target, and detector array geometry. The impact of
and methods for reducing the cross-talk between scintillator cells in the detector array were examined. The
nuclear reactions and radiation transport were studied through stochastic simulations for the plastic scintillator
EJ-299-33A and CLLB crystal scintillator. Verification of computational data was done experimentally using
a crystal scintillator that was attached to a SiPM array. Digital neutron / gamma pulse shape discrimination
was performed in order to isolate the neutron responses.
Log 140. NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS. Frontaseva, M.V.(1);
Vasilev, A.(1); Hristozova, G.(1); Evastatieva, L.(2). (1) Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russian
Federation. (2) Institute of Botany, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
Over the past few decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of herbal medicine. There is still a
significant lack of research data in this field. The purpose of our study is to establish a direct correlation
between elemental content of medicinal plants and their curative ability, which is not yet understood in terms
of modern pharmacological concept. The quantitative estimation of trace element concentrations is important
for determining the effectiveness of the medicinal plants in treating various diseases and to understand their

pharmacological action. Element analysis of medicinal plants can be used to decide the dosage of the herbal
drugs prepared from these plants. NAA of different plants from Mongolia, India, Vietnam, Poland, Bulgaria,
Portugal and Iran allowed determination of 41 elements: Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn,
As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Cs, Ba, La, Hf, Ta, W, Sb, Au, Hg, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Lu, Th, and
U. Such a large group of elements, for the best of our knowledge, was determined in the medicinal plants for
the first time. The results are interpreted in terms of excess of such elements as Se, Cr, Ca, Fe, Ni, Mo, and
rare earth elements. Thirteen dietary (Ca, Cl, Co, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, S, V, Zn) and toxic elements
(As, Ba, Cd, Sb) were detected. Possible connection between the medicinal properties and elemental content
of the plants is discussed.

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Log 141. A NEW METHOD FOR ELUCIDATING NEUTRINO MASS IN BETA DECAY. Semkow,
T. M.(1,2); Li, X.(1,2); Nishikawa, K. (1). (1) Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health,
Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12201, USA. (2) Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of
Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
The beta spectra of familiar pure beta emitters, such as H-3, C-14, S-35, or Ni-63 carry information about the
neutrino mass. Traditional methods of neutrino mass searches in beta decay are based on statistical fits of
theoretical spectra to the experimental ones. In this work, a new mathematical method for elucidating neutrino
mass from beta decay is developed. It is based upon transformational properties and numerical solutions of
integral equations, rather than the statistical measures. Two approached are proposed. In the first approach, the
experimental beta spectrum is deconvoluted from the normalized detector response function and then
subjected to the Abel transformation resulting in the Abel integral equation. It is shown that the solution to this
equation is a superposition of Heaviside step-functions, one for each neutrino mass eigenvalue, however, no
assumptions about the neutrino mass or the number of mass eigenvalues are required. This approach has been
verified by numerical calculations, which showed a fractional sensitivity of about 0.001 for heavy neutrino

and can distinguish from the beta-spectrum discrepancies, such as minute shape and energy nonlinearities. In
the second approach, the theoretical beta spectrum and the normalized detector response function are both
convoluted in the transformed Fredholm integral equation. The matrix solution of the Fredholm equation is
derived and it is shown to be also a superposition of step-functions. A numerical verification of the Fredholm
equation requires a future investigation.
Log 142. WHAT'S THAT YELLOW POWDER? A NUCLEAR FORENSIC CASE STUDY. Xu, N.;
Worley, C.; Rim, J.; Rearick, M.; Labotka, D.; Green, L.; Walker, R. Los Alamos National Laboratory
In nuclear forensic case studies in which the questions of WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW need to be
answered during the examination of a radioactive sample, the most important question is WHAT: what is the
composition of the material? During a recent study at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Actinide
Analytical Chemistry group encountered a legacy material described as follows: a uranium nuclear material
was brought to the Group in the early 2000s. The material was a grey powder until being heated to 900oC in a
furnace and turned into a light yellow color, but the mass of the radioactive material remained the same. The
key question to answer is What is this material? This presentation will demonstrate that by utilizing a variety
of analytical techniques including non-destructive analysis (NDA) gamma-ray spectrometry, X-Ray
fluorescence, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (ICPOES/MS) methods, we were able to put the puzzle together and answer the question. LA-UR-17-30784
Log 143. RADIOXENON PRODUCTION FROM ACTIVATION VIA D-D NEUTRON
GENERATOR. S.C. Mellard (1), S. Biegalski (1), D. Haas (2). (1) Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta,
GA, USA, (2) The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
This work shows the development of a new apparatus for radioxenon production at Georgia Institute of
Technology. The neutron source is a Starfire nGen-800B with a source rate of 10E10 neutrons per second D-D
(2.2 MeV). Modeling and experiments have been conducted to optimize neutron thermalization and reflection
into a sample location. Models were constructed in MCNP6 and benchmarked against experiment.
Experiments were conducted utilizing foils and stable Xe gas. Isotopes of radioxenon produced includes
Xe125, Xe127, Xe131m, Xe133m, Xe133, and Xe135.
Log 145. CHEMICAL AND RADIOANALYTICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF RUTHENIUM-106 IN
ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES. Zok, D. (1); Querfeld, R. (1); Weller, A. (1); Werzi, R. (2); Degering, D.
(3); Zeisler, R. U; Downing, G. R. (4) ; Steinhauser, G. (1). (1) Leibniz University Hannover. (2) CTBTO
Vienna. (3) Helmholtz-Zentrum Dreseden-Rossendorf. (4) NIST Gaithersburg

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In October 2017, European atmospheric radionuclide measurement stations noticed the abnormal presence of
Ru-106 and Ru-103 in their filter systems. Since no official statement clarified the release of these
radionuclides, the source of the radioruthenium is still subject to speculations. In this study, an air filter
obtained from the high-volume sampler on the roof of the Vienna International Centre, Austria, was
investigated to provide more information on the chemical state of the ruthenium. This included stepwise
heating of the filter material. Preliminary results suggest that the radioruthenium on the filter exhibits low
volatility. This suggests that the Ru species present on the filter is not (or no longer) ruthenium tetroxide,
which is the most volatile form of Ru, but also highly oxidizing. The filter will also be investigated by neutron
activation analysis to check for elemental anomalies, with results currently pending. We also collected some
environmental samples in the middle of October 2017 in Vienna and Hanover, including leaves from different
trees as well as grass samples to estimate the deposition of Ru-106 on vegetation. Samples were gently
prepared by freeze drying and hackling. In all of these environmental samples, small activity of Ru-106 were
detectable and quantifiable, typically below 1 Bq/kg dry mass.
Log 146. ISOLATION OF RADIOSILVER NUCLIDES FOR FORENSIC EVALUATION OF
POSSIBLY DAMAGED REACTOR CORES. Zok, D. (1); Steinhauser, G. (1). (1) Leibniz University
Hannover
In case of a nuclear emergency, rapid information about the release and subsequent contamination of the
environment is very important, as such radionuclide data allow for the quantification of the radiation hazard to
human health. Typically, radionuclides such as Cs-137 and I-131 are important for the health risk assessment.
However, they provide little additional information about the state of the core or the conditions inside the
reactor. Radiosilver nuclides such as Ag-108m and Ag-110m may be suitable sentinel nuclides to assess the
state of the neutron absorbers as silver is commonly used as a constituent of the rod cluster control assemblies
in PWRs. The activation products Ag-108m and Ag-110m are both formed by neutron activation and they
exhibit relatively long half-lives. Additionally, radiosilver release is a temperature regulated process and starts
when the absorber rods start failing. Spectral overlap with other fission products requires the chemical

separation of traces of radiosilver from the dominant background. In the present study, two methods were
developed and tested for the separation of traces of radiosilver from a dominant Cs-137 background. The first
method was based on the auto-deposition of silver on copper surfaces, which proved to be a cheap and easy
separation method with a recovery rate of 75%. A more expensive extraction chromatographic method was
developed based on the use of Eichrom's TBP and CL resin. The recovery rate were up to 95 %. The
separation was successful both in deionized water as well as authentic environmental water samples.
Log 147. DO WE REALLY NEED VERY LOW LEVEL MEASUREMENT (AMS
MEASUREMENTS) FOR LONG LIFE RADIONUCLIDE IN NUCLEAR WASTE? R. Brennetot, C.
Colin, E. Laporte, P. Perret, Den – Service d’Etudes Analytiques et de Réactivité des Surfaces (SEARS),
CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191, Gif sur Yvette, France
Waste management is a key issue for nuclear industry. In France, Andra (French National Radioactive Waste
Management Agency) is in charge of sizing, building and operating of waste repositories. In order to
guarantee the security of intermediate level short live waste disposal facility (Aube disposal facility), a list of
radionuclides and their maximum associated activities has been defined as acceptance criteria by Andra. From
this list, some are readily and easily measured while many, such as pure beta emitters are difficult to measure,
requiring long radiochemical processes. In several cases, result of the measurements carried out, after
radiochemical process, with Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) detection technique is often under the
detection limit of typically 1 Bq/g. In the lack of other data, nuclear waste producers automatically retain the
detection limit as an overestimation of waste activity. Yet, to overestimate waste activities can dramatically
increase the cost of their management and reduce the storage capacity of the facilities. To overcome this
problem, the Operator Support Analyses Laboratory has developed new radioanalytical procedures to measure
radionuclides of interest (Cl-36, I-129, Ca-41) by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) at level as low as 1
mBq/g in nuclear waste matrices. We present here the challenges encountered to reach such activity levels.
Radiochemical blank and homemade standard have been analyzed to calibrate the analytical procedure.
Challenges in term of blank experiments and contamination check procedures in order to ensure such activity

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levels will be discussed.This work was supported by the CEA/DEN and ANDRA/R&D collaborative project
DISN/ANDRA/CHK/A-CARAC-01-12.
Log 148. ANALYSIS OF FOOD SAMPLES USING CERIUM BROMIDE GAMMA-RAY
SPECTROMETRY. Thomas Scott (1), Kelly Garnick (1), Cong Wei (1), Kara Phillips (2), Amol Patil (2),
Henrick Persson (2). (1) US FDA Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center, 109 Holton St. Winchester
MA, 01890. (2) Canberra Industries, Inc., 800 Research Parkway, Meriden, CT 06450
The recently developed Cerium Bromide (CeBr) scintillation detectors are useful tools that provide the
robustness of a scintillator with improved resolution over traditional Sodium Iodide (NaI) detectors. The
improved resolution provides the capability of robust identification and quantification of some radionuclides
of most concern, e.g., 131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs. This makes CeBr detectors attractive for field deployable or
emergency response operations. Paring these inherent characteristics with the power of Monte-Carlo based
efficiency determinations provides an opportunity to accurately assay a variety of sample geometries and
compositions. When considering measurements of food matrices, one of the main considerations is the
density of the food which has a direct impact on the attenuation of photons. Density corrections have
traditionally been addressed through measuring a series of radioactive calibration standards with varying
density and creating a detector specific attenuation curve. Advances in Monte Carlo based efficiency
calculations can be utilized to correct for density without the need for a series of expensive calibration
standards. In this work, we investigate the detection and quantification capabilities of portable CeBr
scintillation detectors to assay food matrices of different densities using calculated efficiencies.

Log 149. SIMULTANEOUS SUB-PICOGRAM SPECIATION OF MONOMETHYLMERCURY AND
MONOETHYLMERCURY IN CAUSTIC NUCLEAR TANK WASTE USING DIRECT AQUEOUS
PROPYLATION. Andrew J. Boggess, Mark A. Jones, Chris J. Bannochie, Amy A. Ekechukwu , William R.
Wilmarth, Thomas L. White. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL)
The Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina produced radioactive
materials for the nuclear weapons program that resulted in approximately 37 million gallons of radioactive
liquid waste stored in under ground tanks. Part of this production process used mercury as a catalyst to
accelerate the dissolution of aluminum fuel rod cladding. As a result, organomercury species are present in
waste storage tanks and in the solid, cement-based waste form used to encapsulate nuclear waste for longer

term storage. These species are more susceptible to leaching into the enviroment than elemental mercury and
require monitoring to meet regulatory requirements. Our laboratory has developed, optimized, and internally
and externally validated novel sample preparation protocols for the speciation of monomethylmercury (MeHg)
and monoethylmercury (EtHg) in caustic nuclear waste using direct aqueous ethylation or propylation
derivatization followed by purge and trap gas chromatography atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (GC/AFS).
The details of this method including external interlaboratory comparison results are discussed in this talk.
Log 150. CHEMISTRY OF ACTINIDES AND FISSION PRODUCTS WITHIN NEW POROUS
FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS. Wang, S. A. (1); Wang, Y. L. (1); Wang, Y. X. (1); Xiao, C. L. (1); Chen,
L. (1); Chen, L. H. (1); Sheng, D. P. (1); Liu, W. (1); Zhu, L. (1); Xie, J. (1); Bai, Z. L. (1); Diwu, J. (1);
Chai, Z. F. (1); (1) School of Radiation Medicine and Protection (SRMP), School of Radiological and
Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Soochow University.
During the past three years, our group in Soochow University has deeply looked into two parallel research
directions, both combining two fields of radiochemistry and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The first one
is the synthesis and characterizations of actinide MOF compounds. This system is unique not only because
compared to the transition metal and lanthanide systems, the actinide based MOFs are substantially less
explored, but also that these compounds cannot be simply mimicked/predicted based on those analogues of
transition metals and lanthanides owing to the uniqueness of actinide ions in bonding and coordination. In
addition, we have found many interesting potential applications for these compounds including actinide waste
form design for geological disposal, ion-exchange for remediation of radioactive contamination, and detection

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of extremely low-dose ionization radiations, further highlighting the bright future of adopting actinide ions in
building of unique MOFs with potential applications in the nuclear industry.1,2 The other research direction is
the design and build of non-radioactive MOFs for rapid, efficient, and selective removal and detection of
soluble radioisotope ions including (UO2)2+, Sr2+, Cs+, and TcO4- from aqueous solutions. Specifically, I
will talk about three interesting examples within this direction: several single-crystalline zirconium

phosphonate MOFs that are able to survive from fuming acids including aqua regia and can remove large
amounts of uranium even from acidic solutions;3 a luminescent mesoporous MOF equipped with abundant
Lewis basic sites, which can be used for sequestration and detection of trace amounts of uranyl ion in the
natural water systems including seawater;4 the first experimental investigation of 99TcO4- removal by a
cationic MOF material showing many promises over the traditional anion-exchange materials.5 These works
clearly reveal that all the possible advantages for ideal radioisotope sorbent materials including high capacity,
fast kinetics, excellent selectivity, and great stability and recyclability etc. can be indeed integrated in the
MOF system.
Log 151. INVENTORY OF 129I IN BRACKISH LAKE SEDIMENTS ADJACENT TO A SPENT
NUCLEAR FUEL REPROCESSING PLANT, JAPAN. Ueda, S. (1); Kakiuchi, H. (1); Hisamatsu, S. (1).
(1) Institute for Environmental Sciences
In order to clarify the 129I inventory in sediment of brackish Lake Obuchi adjacent to a commercial spent
nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan, concentrations of 129I in lake sediments were measured
from 2006 to 2016. The plant is now under final safety assessment by a national authority after test operation
using actual spent nuclear fuel. During cutting and chemical processing in the test operation from April 2006
to October 2008, 129I was discharged to the atmosphere and ocean. We already reported that the 129I
concentration in lake water and aquatic biota increased during the processing followed by prompt declining
after it. The 129I concentration and 129I/127I atomic ratio in the sediment of Lake Obuchi increased to the
order of 1E-8 - 1E-6 Bq/g-dry and 1E-10 - 1E-9, respectively, with the maximum values one order of
magnitudes higher than the levels before the processing. The inventories of 129I in lake sediments rose until
the end of the processing in 2008, and have maintained the increased level of approximately 20-30 mBq/m2
until 2016. The possible reasons for the nearly constant 129I inventories are negligible 129I elution from the
sediment and/or continuous supplying 129I from the catchment area in equivalent to the eluted 129I. "This
study was performed under a contract with the government of Aomori Prefecture, Japan."
Log 152. SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF U AND TH FROM RARE EARTH ELEMENTS LEACHING
SOLUTION USING MAGNETIC SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION. Whitty-Léveillé, L. (1, 2); Reynier,
N. (1, 2); Larivière, D. (1). (1) Université Laval. (2) Natural Resources Canada
Recently, the recovery of rare earth elements (REE) from a variety of resources has gained much interest. As
actinides and REE share similar chemical properties, the separation of those two groups of elements is often a
concern in the rare earth industry in order to manage radioactive contamination, but also because of the

chemical challenge it poses. The partitioning of actinides and lanthanides is the most challenging
hydrometallurgical separation known. The present study highlights a new type of extracting process using
magnetic solid-phase support and Schiff base ligands, which were entirely synthesized and characterized for
the study. The effect of extraction parameters (pH, mass of ligand, and time) was investigated and optimized.
It was found that the maximum capacity of the magnetic Schiff base towards actinides is 52.04 mg g-1 and
79.20 mg g-1 for U(VI) and Th(IV), respectively, obtained at pH = 6 with only 25 mg of extracting agent for a
contact period of 24 h. The magnetic ligand has also showed incredible selectivity to extract U(VI) over more
than 45 metals in a real REE leaching solution.
Log 153. DEVELOPING REALISTIC SAMPLES TO SIMULATE NUCLEAR AND
RADIOLOGICAL EVENTS. Tamasi, A.L.(1). (1) National Analytical Radiation Environmental Laboratory
It is imperative that the effectiveness and reliability of the science employed during nuclear and radiological
incident response be tested, and a cornerstone of that effort is having realistic simulated materials of known
composition against which to test. The current variety and availability of these materials, both for a postdetonation nuclear scenario and for radiological dispersal scenarios, will be explored. Further, the

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considerations for taking a new simulated material and turning it into an effective and reliable benchmark for
assessing laboratory capabilities and rapid analysis protocols will be discussed in the context of EPA's planned
future effort to make available simulated radiological urban matrix materials to enable inter-comparison
studies amongst state and/or federal labs.
Log 154. 4H-SIC ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY FOR NUCLEAR FORENSICS WITH
ELECTRODEPOSITED SOURCES. Joshua Jarrell (1); Milan Stika (2); Thomas Blue (1); Michael
Simpson (2), Lei Cao*(1). (1) The Ohio State University. (2) University of Utah
Actinides possess characteristic alpha emissions which can be used to identify unique isotopes. Actinides such
as thorium and uranium are members of decay chains comprising multiple alpha emitting actinides. The
isotopic composition of a sample can provide information on the history of fabrication, separation, and the
originating source of the sample. Electrodeposition allows for the separation of elements of interest based on

their electronegativity. Thus, sources can be fabricated which isolate actinides from their daughter products
which arise in their decay chain. A 4H-SiC alpha detector was used to identify the daughter isotopes in the
thorium and uranium decay chain. A Th-230 peak was observed in the alpha spectrum from the
electrodeposited thorium source. Th-230 is present in the U-238 decay chain indicating that the thorium which
was used for the electrodeposited source must have been obtained from a mineral that contained both uranium
and thorium. Chemical separation of uranium and thorium from the source mineral ore introduces Th-230 as
an inclusion with the Th-232 found in the mineral and subsequently in the fabricated electrodeposited thorium
source. A depleted uranium source was fabricated by electrodeposition in molten salt. The resulting spectrum
showed a U-234 peak which provides information about the enrichment process. Given the slow build in of U234, information concerning the enrichment process used is preserved allowing for investigation of
enrichment activities long after the actual enrichment has occurred.
Log 155. IONIC LIQUIDS AS POTENTIAL ELECTROLYTE SOLVENTS FOR LITHIUM
BATTERIES IN RADIOACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS. Chuting Tan (1); Wesley J. Thio (2), Jenna L.
Glover (3); Daniel J. Lyons (3); Lei R. Cao (1); Anne C. Co (3). (1)Nuclear Engineering, The Ohio State
University, Columbus OH 43210; (2) Electrical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH
43210; (3) Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH 43210
Conventional organic electrolyte used in Li ion batteries (LIBs), e.g., 1 M LiPF6 in EC:DMC 1:1 wt%, suffers
from high degree of decomposition by direct gamma radiation as well as radiation facilitated hydrolysis.
While the goal of this study is to seek an electrolyte that overcomes the drawbacks of conventional electrolyte
during and after irradiation, it is also important to avoid developing complex configurations and fabrication
methods that only serve the purpose of batteries used in radiation environments. Therefore, ionic-liquid-based
liquid electrolyte was examined by using gamma radiation produced by a Co-60 irradiator located at the Ohio
State University Nuclear Reactor Lab with a dose rate of 29 krad/h. Ionic liquids (ILs), also called room
temperature molten salts, offer low melting point, negligible vapor pressure, good thermal and chemical
stability, and resistance to air and moisture compared to conventional organic liquid solvents. EMITFSI, with
a cation of ethyl-methyl-imidazolium (EMI+) and an anion of bis-(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)-imide (TFSI-),
was irradiated for 7 days (4.9 Mrad). After irradiation, the EMITFSI sample gradually developed a strong
discoloration compared to a clear, transparent control sample. Decomposition products due to irradiation were
characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and compared to irradiated
conventional organic electrolyte. Later, LIB coin cells assembled with EMITFSI-based electrolyte before and
after irradiation were cycled using C/20 current (~0.01 mA). Briefly, irradiated EMITFSI has less

decomposition products and batteries equipped with 225-day old irradiated EMITFSI electrolyte still delivered
good charge/discharge capacity. Therefore, ionic liquids were proved capable of operating in radiation filled
environments.
Log 156. RAPID DISSOLUTION OF SURROGATE NUCLEAR DEBRIS USING AMMONIUM
BIFLURORIDE FUSION AND INDIRECT SONICATION DISSOLUTION METHODS. Hubley, N. T.
(1,2); Wegge, D. L. (1); Brockman, J. D. (1); Liebman C. P. (2), Rearick, M. S. (2); Robertson, J. D. (1) (1)
University of Missouri-Columbia. (2) Los Alamos National Laboratory

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Prompt analysis of elemental and isotopic information from post detonation nuclear debris is critical for rapid
attribution analysis. Conventional acid dissolution techniques used for dissolving bulk nuclear debris samples
can take days to complete. In this work, we report on the capability of two dissolution methods that use the
fluorinating agent ammonium bifluoride (ABF), NH4HF2 as means to rapidly dissolve debris samples. The
first method is an open vessel fusion with ABF at 230 .C in PFA tubes. The work includes evaluation of a
novel mechanically assisted ABF fusion technique. Following the fusion the samples are taken to dryness
with boric acid to eliminate insoluble fluorides. The second method utilizes in-direct sonication of the sample
at 55 .C with ABF and concentrated nitric acid in capped polypropylene tubes. The dissolution methods are
being evaluated with ICP-MS to measure elemental recovery from geological materials and the candidate
reference material NIST Surrogate Post-detonation Urban Nuclear Debris (SPUD). Prior to dissolution, a
sample of the SPUD material is being analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The
recovery from the ABF fusion and indirect sonication dissolution methods will be compared with the INAA
results and conventional microwave digestion using nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid. LA-UR-17-30394
Log 157. DEVELOPMENT OF A NUCLEAR FORENSICS LEXICON. Stratz, S.A. (1). (1) U.S.
Department of Energy
A nuclear forensics lexicon was developed to facilitate common acceptance of terms within the interagency
community. This work presents the need for such a lexicon to exist and demonstrates the procedure used for

lexicon compilation.
Log 158. MOLECULAR FORMATION IN CONDENSING LASER ABLATION PLASMAS. Weisz,
D. G.(1); Crowhurst, J. C.(1); Finko, M. S.(2); Rose, T. P.(1); Koroglu, B.(1); Trappitsch, R.(1); Radousky, H.
B.(1); Siekhaus, W. J.(1); Armstrong, M. R.(1); Isselhardt, B. H.(1); Azer, M.(2); and Curreli, D.(2). (1)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, (2) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The formation of UOx and other molecular species in nuclear fireball environments is controlled by multiple
parameters, including temperature and fireball composition. Understanding how these parameters control
high-temperature molecular formation is important to constraining vapor-phase fractionation, which affects
post-detonation debris composition. In this work, we study competitive molecular formation of multiple
species during plasma condensation for the purposes of improving post-detonation debris formation models.
To observe high-temperature molecular formation, we used pulsed laser ablation (5-10 ns pulse length) to
form plasma conditions from multi-component targets, and identified vibronic molecular bands in timeresolved emission spectra. Further, 2D images were acquired to observe the spatial distribution of molecules
in the laser ablation plume. Time-resolved emission spectra were acquired using an intensified CCD (ICCD)
coupled to a grating spectrometer, and plume images were acquired using the ICCD in conjunction with
narrow bandpass filters specific to molecular emission wavelengths of interest. These data were consistent
with a kinetics-based, semi-empirical computational model, which can be used as a predictive tool to inform
fractionation studies in post-detonation systems. LLNL-ABS-742544

Log 159. WELCOMING E-LEARNING INTO MIRION'S TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE
NUCLEAR MEASUREMENT INDUSTRY. Conway, H.(1). (1) Mirion Technologies Inc.
Traditionally, training in the nuclear measurement industry involved either a student traveling to a facility to
be taught, or an instructor traveling to a customer's site to teach a course. In this digital age, training is no
longer restricted to these brick and mortar options. A new form of training, where the course is available to
the student wherever they can connect to the internet, is done through e-learning. In this paper, we will
discuss how we have, and still are, making strides to design training that is attainable for everyone in our
industry.
Log 160. HOMOGENIZATION OF FOOD SAMPLES FOR GAMMA SPECTROMETRY USING
PROTEASE. Nishikawa, K.C. (1); Bari, A.(1); Khan, A.J. (1); Li, X.(1); Menia, T. (1); Semkow, T.M. (1,2);

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(1) Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health. (2) University at Albany, State University of
New York

Methods of food sample preparation for gamma spectrometry commonly used for routine monitoring would
have a number of limitations during a radiological emergency. Chopping may not ensure complete sample
homogenization, and blending may contaminate a large amount of laboratory equipment that is difficult and
time-consuming to clean. We previously reported a method aimed at developing best compromises between
degree of homogenization, accuracy, speed, and minimizing laboratory equipment contamination. This
method involves the use of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and/or enzymes such as alpha-amylase
or cellulase for sample homogenization. We now propose an additional method using the protease bromelain
that can homogenize samples in ~1 h without high heat or harsh chemicals. This method is useful for meats as
well composite meals containing both meat and starch. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this method
using food matrices spiked with the radionuclides Co-60, I-131, Cs-134,137, and Am-241. Based on
calculated sample biases and z-scores, our results suggest that homogenization with bromelain would be a
useful method for preparing meat and composite meal samples for gamma spectrometry analysis during
radiological emergencies.
Log 161. INVESTIGATING THE TEMPORAL VARIATIONS OF PLUTONIUM ULTRA-TRACE
CONCENTRATIONS AND ISOTOPIC COMPOSITIONS IN RIVER AND DAM SEDIMENT IN
THE FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE BY MC-ICP-MS. Jaegler, H. (1); Pointurier, F. (2); Onda, Y. (3);
Hayashi, S. (4); Tsuji, H. (4); Hubert, A. (2); Laceby, P.J. (1,5); Evrard, O. (1). (1) Laboratoire des Sciences
du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE, joint laboratory CEA/CNRS/UVSQ), Gif-sur-Yvette, France (2)
CEA, DAM, DIF, Arpajon, France (3) Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics,
University of Tsukuba, Japan (4) National Institute for Environmental Science, Fukushima Branch, Miharu,
Japan (5) Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, Calgary, Alberta,
Canada
The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident led to the formation of a radioactive

pollution plume in soils of Northeastern Japan. Trace levels of plutonium have been detected in environmental
samples collected in the vicinity of FDNPP. However, little is known about both the temporal and spatial
variations of the plutonium contamination from FDNPP. Here, we used a Multi-Collection Inductively
Coupled Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) to detect plutonium isotopes (i.e. 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu and
242Pu). This instrument allows precise and accurate measurements of plutonium atom ratios and
concentrations at ultra-trace levels. Plutonium was measured in river sediment deposits (n=11) collected
between November 2011 and November 2014, and in several layers (n=7) of a dam sediment core. In the river
sediment, plutonium concentrations and isotopic ratios (240Pu/239Pu, 241Pu/242Pu and 242Pu/239Pu)
generally decreased between 2011 and 2014, when they reached values close to those reported for the global
fallout. This temporal evolution confirmed the fast export of sediment by heavy floods and the impact of
decontamination works. In the dam sediment core, the maximum value for all the plutonium isotopic ratios
was identified at 10 cm depth, corresponding to a maximum contribution of 4.8 +/- 1.0% of plutonium from
the FDNPP. This maximum coincides with the highest 137Cs concentrations and likely corresponds to
sediment that was deposited shortly after the FDNPP accident. The analysis of sediment located in the bottom
part of the core will contribute to improving the quantification of the plutonium global fallout signature in this
region of the world, whereas sediment collected in the top of the core will help understand post-fallout
plutonium dynamics in the region.
Log 162. TRACE ELEMENTS IN URANIUM BENCHMARKING STUDY - EMPHASIS ON HPLCID-ICP-MS METHODOLOGY. Manard, BT; Wylie, EM; Xu, N; Montoya, D; Aragon, SM; Rearick, MS;
Schappert, MF; and Tandon, L. Los Alamos National Laboratory
A benchmarking study was performed in which three unknown uranium samples were analyzed for their trace
element compositions. These test materials were designed to mimic pre-detonation nuclear forensic event.
The purpose of this study was to utilize existing measurement methodologies employed currently within the
actinide analytical chemistry (C-AAC) group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that have

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previously been submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, a new methodology

to the C-AAC group, high performance liquid chromatography - isotope dilution - inductively coupled plasma
- mass spectrometry (HPLC-ID-ICP-MS) was employed. Besides the discussion on sample processing and
trace elemental analysis by traditional methods, for the talk will emphasize on the HPLC-ID-ICP-MS method
and how it is compared to the established methods.
Log 163. TIME MODULATED IMAGING OF GAMMA RAYS AND NEUTRONS USING CLYC
DETECTOR WITH A DUAL-MATERIAL COLLIMATOR. Barzilov, A. (1); Guckes, A. (1). (1)
University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Directional information about radiation sources in a simultaneous measurement of gamma rays and neutrons is
essential for many radiation detector applications. The detection system that is capable of imaging radioactive
sources in two dimensions was developed. The detection medium is a single CLYC scintillator enriched in Li7. The detector is equipped with a cylindrical heterogeneous collimator composed of ABS plastic and lead. A
coded aperture is inlaid in the collimator using these materials. To enable the time-encoded imaging of a
radioactive source, the dual-material collimator is rotated 360 degrees. The neutron and photon measurements
are taken in discrete time steps that correlate to the angular rotation of the collimator. The radiation
measurement data are convoluted using a decoding mask of the coded aperture to create an image of a
radioactive source. This collimator design allows for the directional detection of gamma rays and fast neutrons
by utilizing only one scintillator. Moreover, the system is capable of pulse shape discrimination of photons
and fast neutrons and gamma spectroscopy. The detector was tested by performing directional measurements
using various gamma-ray and neutron sources.
Log 164. SPECIATION OF URANIUM IN GROUNDWATER IN THE PRESENCE OF NATURAL
ORGANIC MATTER. Jung, E.C.; Baik, M.H.; Cho, H.-R.; Kim, H.; Cha, W. Korea Atomic Energy
Research Institute
Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy was primarily used for the chemical speciation of U(VI)
(hexavalent uranium) complexes and natural organic matter (NOM) in groundwater. Groundwater was
sampled from a borehole with a depth of 500 m in granite rocks located at the underground research tunnel
constructed in the research area of KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) in Daejeon, Korea. The
luminescence characteristics (peak wavelength in spectrum and lifetime of excited state) of U(VI) in the
groundwater agree well with those of neutral dicalcium uranyl tricarbonate species in a standard solution
prepared in a laboratory. It was observed that the luminescence intensities of U(VI) species were significantly
enhanced at low temperatures (one degree Celsius in this study). By contrast, an increase in the luminescence
intensities of NOMs was indistinctive at low temperatures. Thus, the spectral overlap between NOM and

U(VI) in groundwater was avoided by performing the luminescence measurement at low temperatures. In the
presence of NOM, the luminescence intensities of U(VI) in the groundwater were weaker than those of a
neutral dicalcium uranyl tricarbonate complex in the standard solution at the same uranium concentrations.
This result can be ascribed to U(VI) species interacting with NOM and forming non-radiative U(VI)
complexes in groundwater. Excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy was applied to characterize
the NOMs. The mean positions of excitation and emission maxima were observed at 270 and 295 nm,
respectively. The origin of NOMs in groundwater will be discussed based on these results.
Log 165. RADIOANALYTICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF WATER-SAMPLES FROM FUKUSHIMA.
Querfeld, R.(1); Shozugawa, K.(2); Hori, M.(3); Degering, D.(4); Steinhauser, G.(1). (1) Leibniz University
Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection. (2) The University of Tokyo, Graduate School
of Art and Sciences. (3) The University of Tokyo, Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence. (4)
VKTA-Analytik & Entsorgung Rossendorf e.V.
Two different types of samples were used for investigations. First, surface water samples, which were
collected at April 10, 2011, only one month after the triple-disaster in Fukushima. The samples were collected
at various places in Fukushima prefecture, in different distances from and directions to Fukushima Daiichi
NPP (FDNPP). They were filtered prior to radioanalysis. The second type of sample material included tap and
surface water samples from the prospective locations of the 2020 Olympic Summer Games. The sampling

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took place in 2016. Isotopes of interest were H-3, Sr-90, I-129, Cs-134, and Cs-137. The Cs-isotopes were
measured by gamma spectrometry (HPGe), no pretreatment was deemed necessary. Measurements of tap
water samples were performed by low-level gamma spectrometry in an underground laboratory (Felsenkeller,
Germany). For the measurement of Sr-90, the water samples were pretreated by SPE extraction. Tritium was
separated from disturbing ions and radionuclides by distillation. Afterwards, the activities were determined by
using LSC (HIDEX 300SL). Iodine-129 required a more laborious pre-treatment; samples were measured by
AMS facilities in Zurich and Vienna. First results of the surface water samples show the highest activities in

sampling locations closest to FDNPP. One of the most remarkable results was the presence of H-3 in a couple
of samples in detectable activities. In the "Olympic" tap water samples, detection limits of Cs-137 were in the
range of 3 mBq/L, howeve, this low detection limit was exceeded only in one case. Other isotopes will be
determined in near future and presented at MARC XI.
Log 166. TESTING AND OPTIMIZING PVT SCINTILLATORS FOR FAST NEUTRON IMAGING.
Chuirazzi, W.C. (1); Oksuz, I. (1); Massey, T.N. (2); Brune, C.R. (2); Cherepy, N.J. (3); Cao, L.R. (1). (1) The
Ohio State University. (2) Ohio University. (3) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Fast neutron imaging offers high penetration and decreased activation concerns. The low interaction cross
sections of fast neutrons require development of an efficient scintillator material. Polyvinyltoluene (PVT)
scintillators were evaluated to determine how fluorescent dopants and scintillator configurations could
optimize PVT for fast neutron imaging. A neutron imaging apparatus was created, using a cooled EMCCD
camera and single mirror reflection, to capture images and study scintillators' response under fast neutron
exposure. Scintillators were exposed to a neutron spectrum with a maximum energy of 3.2 MeV produced by
a particle accelerator. A nuclear reactor based neutron beam facility at The Ohio State University was also
used to provide ~ 1MeV fast neutrons at the order of 10^4 cm-2s-1. PVT was doped with different fluors and
the respective light yields were measured. Loading PVT with 2% of an X-Flrpic fluorescent created the largest
increase in photon production. PVT scintillator packaging configurations were tested to determine their effects
on spatial resolution and light yield. The addition of a black backing to the scintillator, compared with a
specular film backing, improved the resolution of the neutron image obtained with the PVT scintillator by
120%. This study recommends PVT be doped with 2% X-Flrpic and configured with a black backing to have
an optimized efficiency and spatial resolution for fast neutron imaging. Neutron radiography and tomography
of a few phantoms will also be presented.
Log 167. THEORETICAL APPROACHES TOWARD HIGH EFFICIENT SEPARATION OF AN(III)
OVER LN(III). Weiqun, S.;Qunyan, W. ; Congzhi, W., Jianhui, L. Laboratory of Nuclear Energy
Chemistry, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

With the rapid advancement of nuclear power industry, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels has been attracting
many concerns owing to the big challenge for waste treatment and efficient recovery of all actinides,
especially minor actinides (MAs). Among which, the issue related with the group separation of actinides over
Ln(III) has not been appropriately solved due to the chemical similarity of An(III) and Ln(III) and the harsh

separation condition which often causes the vulnerability of ligands. In this work, the design criteria for
dedicated ligands with respect to the Am(III)/Eu(III) separation will be introduced. The effect of ligand
structural rigidity, the strategy of N, O-donor combination will be also discussed. We did eventually obtained
a high efficient ligand which displayed exceptional group actinide extraction ability in solvent extraction
experiments.
Log 168. CHEMICAL SPECIATION OF URANIUM IN ELECTRO-DEPOSITION PROCESS IN
LICL-KCL MELT: AN EXAFS AND UV-VIS SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY. Shi Weiqun*, Liu Yalan,
Yao Benlin, Chai Zhifang. Laboratory of Nuclear Energy Chemistry, Institute of High Energy Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
In this work, the chemical speciation transformation of uranium in the electrodeposition process in LiCl-KCl
melt on different electrodes was systematically studied by EXAFS and solid UV-Vis techniques. It was found

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MARCXIFinalBookofAbstracts
that after the chlorination of UO2 assisted by AlCl3, the predominant complex of uranium in melt is [UCl6]2-.
When the electro-deposition was carried out on an Al electrode, the prevalent speciation of uranium in melt
was quickly transformed into [UCl6]3-, and then changed back to [UCl6]2-. For comparison, the electrodeposition of uranium was also implemented on both Al and Zr cathodes. Our work can afford insightful
information for better achieve the so-called exhaustive electrolysis with respect to the recovery of actinides
and purification of molten salt.
Log 169. INVESTIGATION OF COLLOID SORPTION BEHAVIOR OF CESIUM IN CRUSHED
GRANITE USING BATCH TESTS. Yu-Hung Shih (1), Liang-Cheng Chen (1), Tsuey-Lin Tsai (1), ChuanPin Lee (2), Shih-Chin Tsai (3), Te-Yen Su (1). (1)Institute of Nuclear Energy Research. (2)National Cheng
Kung University. (3)National Tsing Hua University.
Recent research demonstrated that colloid can sorb radionuclides and accelerate the migration rate of
radionuclides under the suitable environment. Therefore, an understanding of the effect of colloids on the
sorption of radionuclides in rock fracture and groundwater play a prominent role in establishing the geological
data of final disposal sites. In addition to characterization analysis and stability test for colloid sorption
behavior include, the effects of bentonite colloids on the sorption of radionuclide (Cs-137) with crushed

granite from Taiwan crystalline test area were performed in this study, which is used as reference of
performance and safety assessment of final disposal. The results showed that , the radionuclide (Cs-137) can
be easily retarded (adsorbed) on the surface of the crushed rock in a colloid-free environment from the batch
experiment. However, radionuclide (Cs-137) will adsorb on bentonite colloids and easily facilitate the
transport of radionuclide with groundwater in the presence of colloids.
Log 170. ALPHA SPECTROMETRY FOR BASIC CHARACTERIZATION OF NUCLEAR
FORENSIC SAMPLES. Hudston, L.A. (1); LaMont, S.P. (1); Harris, M.N. (1); Dry, D.E. (1); Steiner, R.E.
(1); Atoyan, V. (2); Pyuskyulyan, K. (2); Dallas, L. (3). (1) LANL. (2) Armenia Nuclear Power Plant. (3)
NNSA.
Nuclear forensic evidence examinations are used to identify and quantify nuclear and radioactive materials
recovered from outside of regulatory control, provide necessary evidence for prosecuting criminal activity,
and ultimately help determine the provenance of the material. As part of an ongoing collaborative project
between the United States and Armenia, we are working to demonstrate how alpha spectrometry can
contribute to nuclear forensics examinations and produce reliable and defensible uranium enrichment data.
Gamma-ray spectrometry is frequently used to determine uranium enrichment, but can be challenging for
forensic samples that are often in non-standard counting geometries and require self-absorption corrections
that make estimating enrichment difficult for laboratories that do not routinely practice these measurements.
Given the serious nature of incidents involving enriched uranium, and the relatively ubiquitous nature of
depleted and natural uranium materials, it is critical that accurate enrichment data is available to investigators,
and gamma-ray spectrometry data may not easily provide an accurate measure of enrichment. As a
compliment to gamma-ray spectrometry, alpha spectrometry can provide reasonably accurate uranium
enrichment measurements that are generally much easier to interpret. There are a number of other advantages
to employing alpha spectrometry as well, including the relatively low cost of equipment, robust nature of the
hardware, its ease of operation, and straightforward data interpretation. The disadvantage is that samples
generally cannot be counted directly, and need to be prepared into thin sources with limited self-absorption.
However, there are a number of source preparation techniques that require only basic radiochemistry expertise
and produce data sufficient for estimating uranium enrichment. This paper will discuss the training materials
developed for applying alpha spectrometry to nuclear forensic investigations along with methods for preparing
samples and evaluating data to determine uranium enrichment.
Log 171. SUPPORTING HIGH-SCHOOL-TEACHERS IN THE FIELD OF RADIOCHEMISTRY

AND RADIATION PROTECTION. Friege, G.; Vahlbruch, J.-W. Leibniz University of Hanover.
Performing experiments plays a major role in scientific research as well as in science teaching. Experiments
offer the potential to motivate students and enable personal experiences in the process of scientific
discoveries. This applies, of course, also to experiments concerning ionizing radiation - a topic that has been

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