ALPHA-SPECTROMETRY MEASUREMENT OF AM AND CM AT TRACE LEVELS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES USING EXTRACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY

Various anthropogenic sources contribute to the presence of americium and curium isotopes in environmental samples. Incomplete radiochemical separations led to electrodeposited sources containing stable element impurities increasing auto-absorption effects. Other radioactive elem ents, such as (227)AC and its daughters, interfered with Am-241 and (2 43),Cm-244 emissions. These impurities are now completely eliminated u sing a Tru-Spec(R) column.Very low levels of Am-241 and Cm-243,Cm-244 in environmental samples (i.e. algae, mussels, sediment, etc.) from th e Channel and the Rhone river, including its estuary, were investigate d using a routine radiochemical process and measurement at levels as l ow as achievable with state of the art measuring technology. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.