Improved determination of plutonium content and isotopic ratios in low activity samples by alpha-particle and underground L X-ray measurement
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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
Published on: November 9, 2015
1Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany.
Abstract:
The determination of the isotopic ratio of 239Pu and 240Pu by alpha-particle spectrometry is limited due to the small differences in the alpha-particle energies. But taking into account the differences in the L X-ray emission probabilities of the two plutonium isotopes, an additional L X-ray measurement allows the isotopic ratio of 239Pu and 240Pu to be determined. The sensitivity of this method can be improved, as described in this work, by performing the L X-ray measurement in an underground laboratory.
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