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This work describes the development and optimization of the radiochemical separation of 147Pm and 151Sm. The two main challenges addressed were: the radiochemical separation of the lanthanides by using LN Resin and DGA,N Resin, and the quantification of the chemical recovery of 147Pm with a non-isotopic analogue (i.e. neodymium). The applicability of radiochemical separation procedures was investigated by using spiked samples. The optimized radiochemical separation procedure by using LN Resin was applied to a reactor cooling water primary coolant sample with an automated system. Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) was used to determine the chemical recoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the optimization of 36Cl determination in solid wastes from nuclear decommissioning, a residual 36Cl signal was observed in procedural blanks measured after processing active samples. To uncover the possible causes, we investigated the interaction of chlorine with the components of a Pyrolyser-6 Trio™, as well as the chemicals used during the procedure. Different treatments for identifying the source of chlorine carryover were thoroughly investigated, demonstrating that the 36Cl memory effect arises from the interaction with pyrolyser components and that it occurs almost every time when the analysis procedure is performed. Therefore, results obtained using this analysis procedure need to be corrected for this memory effect by measuring procedural blank samples before and after measuring 36Cl-containing samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares different approaches for the quantification of the massic activity of 36Cl in graphite samples. All approaches consisted of a combustion step in combination with a trapping solution to collect the volatile elements. Two different resins were used to separate 36Cl from the matrix (CL resin and PS resin). Liquid scintillation counting (LSC), scintillation counting (SC) and tandem inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) were used to quantify 36Cl activity. The chemical yield in all approaches was determined by means of ion chromatography (IC). In addition, the methods were applied to a real activated graphite sample. • Determination of 36Cl in graphite samples from decommissioning scenarios. • Pyrolysis used for graphite sample combustion. • Two different resins used to separate chlorine from the sample matrix: CL resin and TK-TcScint resin. • Two different techniques used to measure 36Cl activity: scintillation counting and ICP-MS/MS. • 36Cl determined in real activated graphite samples by using different approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]