Monitoring atmospheric 85Kr by atom counting. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, Chao; Liu, Si-Yu; Feng, Jie D.; Hu, Shui-Ming; Jiang, Wei; Lu, Zheng-Tian; Ritterbusch, Florian; Wang, Wen-Hao; Yang, Guo-Min; Zhao, Lei U.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental radioactivity. Volume 233(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: Atmospheric 85Kr monitoring -- Atom trap trace analysis -- Radiokrypton dating -- Atmospheric transport model; ATTA Atom Trap Trace Analysis -- LLC Low-Level Counting; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radiation, Background -- Periodicals; Radioecology -- Periodicals; Radioactive pollution -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactive Pollutants -- Periodicals; Radioactivity -- Periodicals; Radioécologie -- Périodiques; Pollution radioactive -- Périodiques; Fond de rayonnement -- Périodiques; 539.752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106604
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-931X

Abstract

Abstract: Radioactive 85 Kr is a major gaseous fission product emitted into the air by the nuclear fuel reprocessing industry. Measuring atmospheric 85 Kr has applications in environmental monitoring, atmospheric transport model validation and dating of environmental water samples, including groundwater, sea water and glacier ice. We present an ultra-sensitive method for fast analysis of atmospheric 85 Kr at 10 −5 parts per trillion level. This method is based on laser cooling and trapping and is capable of counting individual 85 Kr atoms. Measurements at the 3% precision level can be made on krypton extracted from 1L STP of air with a turnaround time of 1.5 h. Moreover, we have realized a system for continuous air sampling over days to weeks. Based on this atom-counting technology and a portable air sample integrator we have realized atmospheric 85 Kr baseline monitoring in Hefei, China, for over 20 months. The technological advances presented in this work lay the ground for a global atmospheric 85 Kr monitoring network. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: An ultra-sensitive atom counting apparatus for atmospheric 85 Kr is developed. 85 Kr activity in 1L of air can be analyzed with 1.5-h turnaround time. A 20-month atmospheric 85 Kr record in an urban area in China is presented.