Report on the Workshop on Measurements of Minor Isotopes in Uranium, Organised by the ESARDA Working Group on Standards and Techniques for Destructive Analysis (WG DA)

The ESARDA Working Group on Standards and Techniques for Destructive Analysis (WG DA) organised a Workshop on 10 and 11 April 2008 at the Joint Research Centre IRMM in Geel, Belgium on MEASUREMENTS OF MINOR ISOTOPES IN URANIUM IN BULK AND PARTICLE SAMPLES in order to exchange views and information on the needs, the applicable mass spectrometric techniques and the required quality of measurement results for the minor isotopes of uranium. The aim of this workshop was to address various applications of uranium minor isotope ratio measurements also beyond nuclear safeguards purposes. The workshop objectives were to identify the needs for uranium minor isotope measurements in nuclear safeguards and related areas, to review the current state-of-the-art of relevant measurement techniques and to increase the knowledge exchange between nuclear safeguards and environmental sciences. 40 representatives from the main European and international nuclear safeguards organizations and nuclear measurement laboratories, but also experts from geochemistry and environmental sciences institutes participated in this workshop. Plenary lectures were given by invited speakers from the IAEA on the need for accurate measurements of high-quality for the minor isotopes of uranium, the ITU on the information that is inherent to uranium minor isotopes in view of nuclear forensics, and from the Earth and Environmental Sciences & OUUSF, The Open University, Bristol on application of uranium and thorium minor isotope dating in earth and environmental sciences. The workshop sessions focused on areas of application and mass spectrometric techniques, plasma mass spectrometry, and quality control. The findings and points of discussions from these sessions were discussed in two separate working groups; one on bulk samples and the other one on particle sample analysis. This report is a summary of the findings and points of discussions raised during the sessions and in the working groups, including recommendations for improved measurement techniques and procedures, quality control, reference materials and data interpretation, emphasizing also new fields of application. All the workshop participants recognized the need and the benefit of intensifying the cooperation between the nuclear safeguards and the environmental sciences institutes. This report is an attempt to share the outcome of this workshop with a broader community.

AREGBE Yetunde;  MAYER Klaus;  HEDBERG Magnus;  RICHTER Stephan;  POTHS Jane;  PROHASKA Thomas;  KIPS Ruth; 

2008-12-11

OPOCE

JRC48339

0392-3029,