Assessment of 235U and 234U concentration in confiscated uranium samples by alpha- and gamma-ray spectrometry techniques

Abstract

Identification and assessment of the isotopic composition of confiscated uranium are of very much concern when it enters the public domain. This paper describes the methodology used for the estimation of 235U and 234U concentration in five uranium samples using alpha and gamma spectrometry, and the results are compared with that of mass spectrometry technique. The activity ratio of 238U to 235U is obtained from the measurement on the 185 keV gamma-line of 235U and 1001 keV gamma-line of 234mPa. The isotopic abundance of 235U in the confiscated sample using radioanalytical techniques was found in the range of 0.22%–0.24%.

Keywords

• alpha spectrometry
• depleted uranium
• gamma-ray spectrometry