Investigation of a new approach for ³⁶Cl determination in solid samples using plastic scintillators

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Radiochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Accurate determination of chlorine-36 (³⁶Cl) is crucial for managing radioactive waste from nuclear decommissioning.
• Existing methods for ³⁶Cl analysis can be limited in sensitivity and selectivity.
• Novel materials are needed for efficient pre-concentration and detection of low-level radionuclides.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a new approach for the determination of ³⁶Cl in radioactive waste.
• To investigate the use of novel plastic scintillator (PS) materials for the selective concentration of ³⁶Cl.
• To identify the most suitable PS material for effective ³⁶Cl analysis.

Main Methods:

• Testing of different plastic scintillator (PS) materials, including PS microspheres (PSm), cross-linked PSm (CPSm), and PS resin.
• Utilizing pyrolysis to release volatile elements from solid samples.
• Employing a bubbler system for trapping volatile elements and subsequent loading onto a PS resin cartridge.
• Scintillation counting for activity concentration measurement and ion chromatography for chemical recovery assessment.

Main Results:

• PS resin demonstrated superior performance for the selective absorption and detection of ³⁶Cl activity compared to other PS materials tested.
• The developed method effectively concentrated ³⁶Cl from solid radioactive waste samples.
• Successful determination of activity concentration and chemical recovery was achieved using the optimized PS resin approach.

Conclusions:

• Plastic scintillator resin is a highly suitable material for the analysis of ³⁶Cl in radioactive waste.
• This novel approach offers an improved method for the pre-concentration and detection of ³⁶Cl, aiding nuclear decommissioning efforts.
• The findings contribute to more accurate radionuclide characterization in environmental and waste management contexts.