Analytical strategy for radionuclides

This teaching unit deals with different aspects related to the measurement of radionuclides in solution as well as the analytical strategy to be implemented in order to achieve a reliable measurement. All radiochemical techniques will be introduced, including isotopic labelling and dilution, separation and purification methods prior to radioactive measurement. An important part of this teaching unit will also deal with the choice of instrumental techniques according to the radionuclide considered, the expression of a counting result taking into account the measurement uncertainties as well as the statistical approach associated with nuclear counting.

Hourly volumes* :

            CM : 12h

            TD : 8h

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

Basic elements in radioactivity

Solution chemistry applied to actinides

Continuous control

• Radiochemical methods associated with separation, purification and radioactive 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 isotopic exchange on the preparation of a labelled solution
• Choice of instrumental techniques according to the nature of the radionuclide
  • Description, operation and sensitivity of mass spectrometers used for radionuclides: ICP-MS, gas pedal mass spectrometers, resonant ionization mass spectrometers 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 error propagation, number of significant figures of radioactive measurement results
• Statistical approach of nuclear counts: definition of the decision threshold, of the detection limit. Computation of the best estimator of the measurement result by 2 approaches: classical and bayesian.

Lectures and tutorials will be supplemented by case studies and bibliographic tutorials.

Administrative contact(s): Secretariat Master Chemistry

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