A new, highly enriched 242Pu isotopic reference material (IRMM-049d) has been prepared and certified for the 242Pu plutonium isotope amount content and isotopic composition. Such isotopic reference materials are applied in nuclear fuel cycle measurements and are part of JRC-IRMM's support programme to supply spike isotopic reference materials of various isotopes at different concentrations.
The material is supplied in a glass ampoule with a screw cap seals containing about 10 mL of 5 mol/L nitric acid with plutonium. The content of each vial is approximately 1 mg 242Pu. The certified values for amount content have been established by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The plutonium isotopic composition has been determined by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry via calibration with synthetic plutonium mixtures (see IRMM-049d certificate).[424Kb]