Radiochemical Analysis of Spent Nuclear Fuel from RBMK-1000 Reactor

The results of radiochemical analysis of 12 samples prepared from the fuel elements (fuel rods) of the upper and lower bundles of an irradiated fuel assembly (SFA) spent to an average fuel burnup of 35.7 MW day/kg U in the RBMK-1000 reactor are reported. The procedures for the radiochemical isolation and analysis of nuclides U, Pu, Am, Cm, Nd, Er, Cs using a complex of radiochemical and instrumental techniques using ion exchange, extraction chromatography, alpha, gamma, and mass spectrometry are described. The nuclide composition, mass content of the indicated nuclides and the value of fuel burnup were determined (by the method of heavy atoms and by accumulation of burnup monitors 145 + 146Nd, 148Nd).