A review on the mass spectrometric analysis of thorium
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Suresh Kumar Aggarwal
Abstract
Mass spectrometric analysis of thorium is of great interest to geo-scientists and nuclear technologists. Though thorium is considered to be a mono-isotopic element for all practical purposes, the 230Th/232Th isotopic ratio provides useful information for various applications, e. g. dating of corals, build-up of 232U during reactor irradiation, etc. Among the gamut of mass spectrometric techniques available for the isotopic analysis of different elements, thermal ionization mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry are more commonly used for Th analysis. The problems of blank contribution and poor ionization efficiency of thorium, which are more serious in thorium mass spectrometric analysis, are discussed. The present state of the Th mass spectrometry is highlighted, with the futuristic increased use of thorium in energy production, in focus. The need to prepare and make available the certified isotopic reference materials for 230Th/232Th isotope ratios is emphasized.
Acknowledgement
The author is grateful to the authorities at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) of the the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India, where he worked for nearly 41 years and 6 months, and learned the different aspects of mass spectrometric analysis, radio-analytical chemistry and applications of actinides and other elements in various branches of science. It is my pleasant duty to acknowledge my co-workers (Dr. Mrs. D. Alamelu, Mr. S. Jagadish Kumar, and Mr. A. R. Parab from BARC; Dr. A. K. Choudhary from IIT, Roorkee) for the ion source chemistry studies of Th and U with TIMS. All the colleagues (both past and present) from the Mass Spectrometry Section of the Fuel Chemistry Division at BARC, Mumbai, are gratefully acknowledged for their whole-hearted cooperation, at different stages of the burn-up determination work.
©2016 Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- A review on the mass spectrometric analysis of thorium
- Characterization of reversed micelles formed in solvent extraction of thorium(IV) by bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid. Transforming from rodlike to wormlike morphology
- Pre-concentration of trace levels of rare-earth elements in high purity uranium samples for nuclear forensic purposes
- Characterization of Fe(III)-saturated montmorillonite and evaluation its sorption behavior for U(VI)
- Oxidative radioiodination of meclofenoxate as a preclinical brain imaging agent
- Molecular imaging investigations of a 67Ga/64Cu labeled bivalent ligand, [RGD-Glu-(DO3A)-6-Ahx-RM2], targeting GRPR/αvβ3 biomarkers: a comparative study
- Recent sedimentation rates in the Caravelas estuary (Bahia, Brazil) using unsupported 210Pb and 137Cs modeling
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- A review on the mass spectrometric analysis of thorium
- Characterization of reversed micelles formed in solvent extraction of thorium(IV) by bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid. Transforming from rodlike to wormlike morphology
- Pre-concentration of trace levels of rare-earth elements in high purity uranium samples for nuclear forensic purposes
- Characterization of Fe(III)-saturated montmorillonite and evaluation its sorption behavior for U(VI)
- Oxidative radioiodination of meclofenoxate as a preclinical brain imaging agent
- Molecular imaging investigations of a 67Ga/64Cu labeled bivalent ligand, [RGD-Glu-(DO3A)-6-Ahx-RM2], targeting GRPR/αvβ3 biomarkers: a comparative study
- Recent sedimentation rates in the Caravelas estuary (Bahia, Brazil) using unsupported 210Pb and 137Cs modeling
