SIMS Analysis of Uranium and Actinides in Microparticles of Different Origin

Abstract.In the framework of the projects “Environmental Sampling” and “High Performance Trace Analysis” in support to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Euratom Safeguards Office (ESO), the research has been focused on the identification and characterisation of particles of interest containing mainly U and other actinides.Multiple analyses, elemental and isotopic, of single radioactive particles in the µm-size range are key-tools in environmental research and in nuclear forensics. The main purpose in the analysis of single particles by SIMS is the determination of their isotopic composition that has been demonstrated successfully for uranium and plutonium particles. From these results, the enrichment of the material produced, the process used for the enrichment as well as the starting material employed (natural or reprocessed uranium) can be identified.