Analytical strategy for radionuclides

This course covers various aspects of measuring radionuclides in solution, as well as the analytical strategy required for reliable measurement. All radiochemical techniques will be introduced, including isotopic labelling and dilution, and separation and purification methods prior to radioactive measurement. An important part of this teaching unit will also cover the choice of instrumental techniques according to the radionuclide under consideration, the expression of a counting result taking into account measurement uncertainties, and the statistical approach associated with nuclear counting.

Hourly volumes* :

            CM: 12h

            TD : 8h

The objective of this teaching unit is to address the measurement techniques linked to the determination of the activity of actinides and other radionuclides present in potentially complex aqueous environments, to understand their behavior in different environments and to address the notions of analytical strategy in particular through measurement, metrology and the study of available analysis methods.

Basics of radioactivity

Solution chemistry applied to actinides

Continuous control

• Radiochemical methods associated with radioactive separation, purification and measurement
• Introduction to isotope dilution and isotope labeling: definition of mass-dependent and mass-independent fractionation, notions of statistical thermodynamics, kinetics of isotope exchange, mathematical formalism for determining the concentration of an element after addition of an isotope dilution tracer. Impact of isotope exchange on the preparation of a labeled solution
• Choice of instrumental techniques depending on the nature of the radionuclide
  • Description, operation and sensitivity of mass spectrometers used for radionuclides: ICP-MS, accelerator, resonant ionization and thermo-ionization mass spectrometers.
  • Description, operation and sensitivity of nuclear spectrometers: gamma, alpha and liquid scintillation spectrometry.
• Expression of results taking into account uncertainties: use of the law of propagation of errors, number of significant figures of radioactive measurement results
• Statistical approach to nuclear counts: definition of the decision threshold, the detection limit. Calculation of the best estimator of the measurement result by 2 classical and Bayesian approaches.

The lectures and tutorials will be supplemented by case studies and bibliographic tutorials.

Administrative contact(s): Master of Chemistry secretariat

master-chimie @ umontpellier.fr (master-chimie @ umontpellier.fr)