ASTM_C_1475_-_17.pdf

Designation:C147517Standard Guide forDetermination of Neptunium-237 in Soil1This standard is issued under the fixed designation C1475;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 guide covers the determination of neptunium-237in soil by means of radiochemical separations and alphaspectrometry.This guide provides options in the selection ofsample preparation,separation,and measurement.Althoughneptunium-237 is not a component of global fallout,it is aproduct of production reactors and spent fuel processing.Thisguide is designed for analysis of ten grams of soil previouslycollected and treated in accordance with Practices C998 andC999.Larger-size samples of environmental soil may also beanalyzed,as long as the concentrations of interferences such asuranium and thorium are at or near environmental concentra-tions.Depending on the choice of a sample dissolution method,all chemical forms of neptunium may not be completelysolubilized.This guide should allow the determination ofneptunium-237 concentrations from sub becquerel per gramlevels to applicable standards depending on count time,samplesize,detector efficiency,background,and tracer yield.1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.3 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.Specific precau-tionary statements are given in Section 9.1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear MaterialsC998 Practice for Sampling Surface Soil for RadionuclidesC999 Practice for Soil Sample Preparation for the Determi-nation of RadionuclidesC1000 Test Method for Radiochemical Determination ofUranium Isotopes in Soil by Alpha SpectrometryC1001 Test Method for Radiochemical Determination ofPlutonium in Soil by Alpha SpectroscopyC1163 Practice for Mounting Actinides for Alpha Spectrom-etry Using Neodymium FluorideC1284 Practice for Electrodeposition of the Actinides forAlpha SpectrometryC1317 Practice for Dissolution of Silicate or Acid-ResistantMatrix Samples(Withdrawn 2001)3C1342 Practice for Flux Fusion Sample Dissolution(With-drawn 2001)3C1387 Guide for the Determination of Technetium-99 inSoilC1412 Practice for Microwave Oven Dissolution of GlassContaining Radioactive and Mixed Wastes(Withdrawn2001)3D1193 Specification for Reagent WaterD1890 Test Method for Beta Particle Radioactivity of WaterD3084 Practice for Alpha-Particle Spectrometry of WaterD4962 Practice for NaI(Tl)Gamma-Ray Spectrometry ofWater2.2 Other Documents:IEEE/ASTM SI-10 Standard for the Use of the InternationalSystem of Units(SI):The Modern Metric System1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear FuelCycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.05 on Methods of Test.Current edition approved June 1,2017.Published July 2017.Originally approvedin 2000.Last previous edition approved in 2010 as C1475 05(2010)1.DOI:10.1520/C1475-17.2For 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.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1 3.Terminology3.1 Except as otherwise defined herein,definitions of termsare as given in Terminology C859.4.Summary of Guide4.1 This guide may be used to determine neptunium-237 insoil at potential release sites.Aneptunium-239 yield monitor isadded to the soil aliquot and the sample solubilized by one ofseveral methods,such as those described in Guide C1387.Theneptunium is separated from the resulting solution using anextraction chromatography column.A valence adjustment isperformed prior to loading the sa