Production and Analyses of Uranium Oxide Microparticulate Reference
Standards: Current Status and Outlook

Year
2023
Author(s)
Stefan Neumeier - Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6)
Philip Kegler - Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6)
Stephan Richter - European Commission - Joint Research Centre
Simon Hammerich - Institute of Earth Sciences - Heidelberg University
Miroslav Zoriy - Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
Cole R. Hexel - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Benjamin T. Manard - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
A.K. Schmitt - Heidelberg University, Institute of Earth Sciences & John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University
Mario Trieloff - Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University
Shannon Potts - Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6)
Dirk Bosbach - Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6)
Irmgard Niemeyer - Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH
File Attachment
finalpaper_145_0514115501.pdf1.16 MB
Abstract
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its worldwide Network of qualified Analytical Laboratories (NWAL) conduct analytical measurements on swipe samples taken during inspections at nuclear facilities to verify the absence of undeclared nuclear materials and activities. These efforts, together with the increasing number of samples (more than 450 per year) to be analysed require constant quality control, further advancement of highly sensitive analytical methods incl. the development and provision of tailor-made reference materials as well as the permanent build-up of new NWAL capabilities. In 2020 the safeguards laboratories at Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ) were qualified as the first member for the provision of microparticulate reference materials. These reference particles are applied to strengthen the IAEA’s quality control system for particle analyses including analytical instrument calibration, method development and validation as well as their application in interlaboratory exercises. This paper will provide an impression of the several steps required towards the provision of the microparticulate reference materials. Exemplarily, these steps will be discussed on our recent campaign to the IAEA on the production of the first highly enriched uranium-oxide reference microparticles. They include (1) the discussion and agreement on the specification of the individual particles, e.g. composition and particle size, but also the number and nature of samples, (2) the preparation of the laboratories considering the internal Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) for the safeguards laboratories at FZJ, (3) the certification of starting solutions at Joint Research Centre in Geel, such as the IRMM-3050 isotopic reference material and (4) the production of the particles at FZJ. A specific discussion will focus on (5) the required analyses, that includes the process control measurements as well as the verification measurements via advanced mass spectrometric methods (MC-ICP-MS and LG-SIMS) conducted at FZJ, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Heidelberg University, respectively.