Bulk analysis of a simulated environmental sample in natural abundance performed in KAERI for nuclear safeguards

An analytical procedure for the bulk analysis of environmental samples, consisting of decomposition of samples, acid digestion of the recovered materials, chemical separation of uranium and plutonium, and isotopic measurements by thermal ionization mass spectrometry and isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The determination of the total amount of uranium contained in four process blanks was performed to verify the reproducibility of the bulk analysis procedure. The analytical results of a simulated environmental sample prepared from certified reference materials met the qualification requirements of the network of analytical laboratories for bulk analysis.