Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples

A new rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for the preparation of 10-20 g soil samples has been developed by the Savannah River National Laboratory. The method enables lower detection limits for plutonium, neptunium, and americium in environmental soil samples. The method also significantly reduces sample processing time and acid fume generation compared to traditional soil digestion techniques using hydrofluoric acid. Ten gram soil aliquots can be ashed and fused using the new method in 1-2 h, completely dissolving samples, including refractory particles. Pu, Np and Am are separated using stacked 2 mL cartridges of TEVA and DGA resin and measured using alpha spectrometry. Total sample preparation time, including chromatographic separations and alpha spectrometry source preparation, is less than 8 h.