PNNL

Abstract

The production of nuclear weapons materials has generated a legacy of nuclear waste and contaminated environmental sites. The remediation of radiochemically contaminated sites and processing of stored wastes into stable waste forms will require characterization procedures throughout all phases of these activities. Consequently the demands for radiochemical analysis will increase rapidly in the future. Methods are required to do these analyses rapidly and precisely. To meet these characterization needs, new automated techniques are required in order to provide improved precision, consistent analytical protocols, reduced worker exposure to toxic and/or radioactive samples, greater sample throughput, reduced costs, and reduced secondary waste generation. Furthermore, methods are required that provide automatic analyses in settings other than analytical laboratories.