Surugaya Naoki, Hiyama Toshiaki, Watahiki Masaru
Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan.
Anal Sci. 2008 Jun;24(6):739-44. doi: 10.2116/analsci.24.739.
A robotized sample-preparation method for the determination of Pu, which is recovered by extraction reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, by isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) is described. The automated system uses a six-axis industrial robot, whose motility is very fast, accurate, and flexible, installed in a glove box. The automation of the weighing and dilution steps enables operator-unattended sample pretreatment for the high-precision analysis of Pu in aqueous solutions. Using the developed system, the Pu concentration in a HNO(3) medium was successfully determined using a set of subsequent mass spectrometric measurements. The relative uncertainty in determining the Pu concentration by IDMS using this system was estimated to be less than 0.1% (k = 2), which is equal to that expected of a talented analyst. The operation time required was the same as that for a skilled operator.
描述了一种通过同位素稀释质谱法（IDMS）测定钚的自动化样品制备方法，该钚是通过乏核燃料的萃取后处理回收得到的。该自动化系统使用安装在手套箱中的六轴工业机器人，其移动速度非常快、准确且灵活。称重和稀释步骤的自动化使得在无人操作的情况下对水溶液中的钚进行高精度分析的样品预处理成为可能。使用所开发的系统，通过一系列后续质谱测量成功测定了硝酸介质中的钚浓度。使用该系统通过IDMS测定钚浓度的相对不确定度估计小于0.1%（k = 2），这与优秀分析师预期的不确定度相当。所需的操作时间与熟练操作员的操作时间相同。
