Validation of the method for determination of plutonium isotopes in urine samples and its application in a nuclear facility at Otwock

Abstract

The studies aimed at determining low activities of alpha radioactive elements are widely recognized as essential for the human health, because of their high radiotoxicity in case of internal contamination. Some groups of workers of nuclear facility at Otwock are potentially exposed to contamination with plutonium isotopes. For this reason, the method for determination of plutonium isotopes has been introduced and validated in Radiation Protection Measurements Laboratory (LPD) of the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ). In this method the plutonium is isolated from a sample by coprecipitation with phosphates and separated on a AG 1-X2 Resin. After electrodeposition, the sample is measured by alpha spectrometry. Validation was performed in order to assess parameters such as: selectivity, accuracy (trueness and precision) and linearity of the method. The results of plutonium determination in urine samples of persons potentially exposed to internal contamination are presented in this work.