Detection and Speciation of Transuranium Elements in Synthetic Groundwater Via Pulsed-Laser Excitation

摘要

High sensitivity methods for detection and speciation of complexed transuranium ions in synthetic basalt groundwater, and simplified analogs, are being developed which exploit advances in pulsed laser technology. The first demonstration of high sensitivity detection of a transuranium ion at temperatures significantly above ambient is reported using laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS). The existence of enhanced LPAS signal amplitudes with increasing temperature in aqueous solution is confirmed in LPAS spectra recorded at 30 C, 60 C and 90 C using micromolar concentrations of /sup 241/Am/sup 3+/. A detection sensitivity of 8.5 parts per trillion (weight basis) of /sup 244/Cm/sup 3+/ in a simplified basalt groundwater at 22 C has been achieved using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF). This corresponds to 1 x 10/sup 8/ Cm/sup 3+/ ions in the laser beam. The detailed spectroscopic information obtained by this method points to the existence of previously unobserved Cm/sup 3+/ species. A brief assessment of the applicability and sensitivity of LPAS and LIF methods for speciating transuranium ions in near-neutral pH aqueous solution, such as the groundwater expected in a basalt nuclear waste repository, is presented. 27 refs., 3 figs. (ERA citation 13:021056)