Radiochemical determination of rare Earth elements in proton-irradiated lead-bismuth eutectic

Various types of proton-irradiated lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) samples from the MEGAPIE prototype spallation target were analyzed concerning their content of (148)Gd, (173)Lu, and (146)Pm by use of α- and γ-spectrometry. A radiochemical separation procedure was developed to isolate the lanthanide fraction and to prepare thin samples for α-ray measurement. The results prove a substantial depletion of these three elements in bulk samples, whereas accumulation on the LBE/steel-interfaces was observed. The amount of material accumulated on surfaces was roughly estimated by relating the values measured on the sample surfaces to the total surface of the inner target walls. The amount of (148)Gd, (173)Lu, and (146)Pm was then quantified by summing up the contributions from every sample type. The results show a reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions. The obtained results are of utmost importance for the evaluation of the performance of high-power spallation targets, especially concerning the residual nuclide production, the physicochemical behavior of the produced radionuclides during operation, and in terms of an intermediate or final disposal.