ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUE

摘要

The invention provides a method for the determination of specified radionuclides which comprises the steps of: (i) addition of a combined carrier and tracer to a sample to be analysed; (ii) mineralisation of the sample; (iii) isolation of the analyte; and (iv) analysis of the analyte. The method of the invention finds particular application in connection with highly radioactives substances of interest in the nuclear fuel cycle and facilitates the determination of true total specific radionuclide contents of materials by removing uncertainty generated by the chemical or physical forms of the analytes. The method is of especial interest with reference to iodine-129 and carbon-14.