Research project: Measurement of 135Cs/137Cs in environmental samples
Currently Active:
Yes
Radioactive caesium isotopes 135Cs and 137Cs can be present in environmental samples, originating from nuclear power plants and reprocessing sites, nuclear accidents and fallout from atmospheric weapons testing. 135Cs/137Cs varies with reactor, weapon and fuel types, and can therefore be used as an indicator of radioactive contamination.
Project Overview
Experimental
A method is being developed that will enable the precise measurement of 135Cs/137Cs, incorporating sample digestion, chemical separation, and high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) quantification.
135Cs and 137Cs analysis is affected by interferences from naturally occurring barium (135Ba and 137Ba), and complete chemical separation of Cs is required to recover accurate isotopic composition.
Chemically separated samples will measured using the ELEMENT single collector and NEPTUNE multi-collector HR-ICP mass spectrometers.
Research Aims
Develop a robust method for precise measurement of 135Cs/137Cs.
Apply this method to a range of environmental samples including salt marsh sediments and North Atlantic/Arctic Ocean waters.
Build on previous work investigating plutonium isotope ratio variations measured in herbage and ice core archives.