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METALS AND ISOTOPE ANALYSIS
Uniting laser detection techniques with furnace atomization and plasma excitation allows precise, on-site analysis of not only hazardous metals but also the radioactive isotopes that are traditionally difficult to identify at contaminated sites.

"The ability to simultaneously measure metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, nickel and radioactive isotopes in the field can lead to a significant savings in terms of time and analytical laboratory costs," says Kevin Carney, of Argonne National Laboratory - West (ANL-W) about Ames Lab's DLS-FANES technology. ANL-W and Ames are collaborating on a demonstration of this technology.

An innovative combination of tried-and-true techniques promises relief for some of DOE's analytical headaches.

Portability, immediate results in the field, ability to detect hazardous metals and the usually hard-to-identify radioactive isotopes, are some of the characteristics Ames Lab researchers have brought together in a new analytical hybrid instrument for simultaneous multi-element identification.

"We hope this will solve some of the problems that impede the remediation process," explains Stephan Weeks, lead developer of Diode Laser-based Spectrometries applied in a Furnace Atomization Nonthermal Emission Source (DLS-FANES).

This technology unites multiple advantages of today's most popular analytical techniques and minimizes their limitations by combining various diode laser spectrometry methods (absorption, fluorescence and optogalvanic) with state-of-the-art furnace atomization and plasma excitation. Once a small sample is atomized or ionized, laser spectrometric techniques measure the amount of light being absorbed and then emitted, which identifies the sample's particular constituents and tells how much of it is there.

The narrow band width of diode lasers makes it possible to identify not only elements but isotopes, which are separate forms of the same element that are virtually impossible to distinguish with traditional portable methods. Clear identification of radioactive isotopes is particularly important since each one may pose a different environmental threat.

Capable of conducting different measurements on the same sample at the same time, DLS-FANES also offers simultaneous analysis of a variety of substances and built-in quality control checks. While Ames researchers are collaborating with DOE's Argonne National Laboratory - West to demonstrate this technology's effectiveness in augmenting the remediation of DOE's buried waste sites, DLS-FANES has also attracted interest from the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute.

BENEFITS:

• Clear Isotope Identification -- Directly detects the usually hard-to-identify isotopes, separate forms of the same element, important for characterizing radioactive areas.
• Multi-Element Analysis -- Simultaneously detects multiple hazardous metals (silver, lead, cadmium, etc.) along with radioactive isotopes.
• Field Operational -- Compact, rugged instrument allows on-site analysis which saves time and money; reduces need for transporting samples and waiting for results.
• Rapid Analysis -- Testing takes only minutes.
• Minimal Sample Preparation -- Requires no complex preparation, a step that accounts for 50 percent of analysis time.
• Built-in Quality Control -- Simultaneous detection with different techniques allows for instant verification of data.
• High Sensitivity -- Can detect picogram quantities of contaminants.
• Small Sample Size -- Requires only microliter sample amounts.
• Effective in Complex Environments -- Variety of sampling accessories and detection methods allows for clear analysis even in complex samples.

BOTTOM LINE:

Offering highly precise simultaneous detection of radioactive isotopes and hazardous metals in the field, DLS-FANES should speed DOE restoration activities, reduce costs and improve confidence of characterization and monitoring analyses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Robert Lipert

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Last Modified: 2 December 1996 by dave eckels
Hybrid: etd/technologies/projects/hybrid/index.html