ASTM_C_1030_-_10.pdf

Designation:C103010Standard Test Method forDetermination of Plutonium Isotopic Composition byGamma-Ray Spectrometry1This standard is issued under the fixed designation C1030;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method is applicable to the determination ofisotopic abundances in isotopically homogeneous plutonium-bearing materials.This test method may be applicable to otherplutonium-bearing materials,some of which may requiremodifications to the described test method.1.2 The procedure is applicable to items containing pluto-nium masses ranging from a few tens of milligrams up to themaximum plutonium mass allowed by criticality limits.1.3 Measurable gamma ray emissions from plutonium coverthe energy range from approximately 30 keV to above 800 keV.K-X-ray emissions from plutonium and its daughters are foundin the region around 100 keV.This test method has beenapplied to all portions of this broad spectrum of emissions.1.4 The isotopic abundance of the242Pu isotope is notdirectly determined because it has no useful gamma-raysignature.Isotopic correlation techniques may be used toestimate its relative abundance Refs(1)and(2).21.5 This test method has been demonstrated in routine usefor isotopic abundances ranging from 99 to 50%239Pu.Thistest method has also been employed for isotopic abundancesoutside this range.1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:3C697 Test Methods for Chemical,Mass Spectrometric,andSpectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade PlutoniumDioxide Powders and PelletsC698 Test Methods for Chemical,Mass Spectrometric,andSpectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Mixed Ox-ides(U,Pu)O2)C982 Guide for Selecting Components for Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence(XRF)Systems(With-drawn 2008)4C1207 Test Method for Nondestructive Assay of Plutoniumin Scrap and Waste by Passive Neutron CoincidenceCountingC1316 Test Method for Nondestructive Assay of NuclearMaterial in Scrap and Waste by Passive-Active NeutronCounting Using252Cf ShufflerC1458 Test Method for Nondestructive Assay of Plutonium,Tritium and241Am by Calorimetric AssayC1493 Test Method for Non-Destructive Assay of NuclearMaterial in Waste by Passive and Active Neutron Count-ing Using a Differential Die-Away SystemC1500 Test Method for Nondestructive Assay of Plutoniumby Passive Neutron Multiplicity CountingE181 Test Methods for Detector Calibration and Analysis ofRadionuclidesE267 Test Method for Uranium and Plutonium Concentra-tions and Isotopic Abundances2.2 ANSI Standards:5ANSI/IEEE Std 325-1996 IEEE Standard Test Proceduresfor Germanium Gamma-Ray DetectorsANSI N15.36 Measurement Control Program Nondestruc-tive Assay Measurement Control and Assurance1This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee C26 on NuclearFuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.10 on NonDestructive Assay.Current edition approved June 15,2010.Published July 2010.Originallyapproved in 1984.Last previous edition approved in 2003 as C1030 03.DOI:10.1520/C1030-10.2The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end ofthis standard.3For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.4The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.5Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 3.Summary of Test Method3.1 The intensities of gamma-rays emitted from aplutonium-bearing item are determined from a gamma-rayspectrum obtained with a High-Purity Germanium(HPGe)detector.The method has also been used with CdTe detectors.3.2 The atom ratio,Ni/Nk,for isotopes i and k is related tothe photopeak counting intensity,C(Eji),for gamma ray j withenergy Ejemitted from isotope i by:NiNk5CEji!CElk!T1/2iT1/2kBRlkBRjiREEl!REEj!(1)where:RE(Ei)=relative detection efficiency for a gamma-ray ofenergy Ei,T1/2i=half-life of isotope i,andBRji=gamma-ray branching ratio or branching intensity(usually expressed as gamma-rays per disintegra-tion)of gamma ray j from isotope i.3.3 The half