PREPARING FOR ROUTINE ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SAMPLES FOR SAFEGUARDS AND THE CTBT

Finland is actively developing technical methods for detection of undeclared nuclear activity both in relation to safeguards and CTBT. Three nuclear research laboratories have joined their efforts in order to offer their know how, technology and analytical services both to the Finnish authorities and international organisations. They have in their disposal high-activity laboratories for a-work and instrumentation including a- and g-spectrometers, liquid scintillation counters, a thermal ionisation mass spectrometer (TIMS), an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Thus all radionuclides can be determined using routine radiochemical methods. In addition, Am-, Cm, U- and Pu-isotopes can be determined by a- spectrometry, Pu- and U-isotope ratios can be determined by TIMS and ICP-MS from bulk samples and by SIMS from particles. The organisation and the content of the work will be described. In addition we can use the services of VERIFIN, the Finnish CWC organisation, when organic compounds need to be determined.