IAEA enhances the ability to analyze nuclear materials

On May 7, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it could meet the increasingly complex challenges of nuclear verification for at least the next 30 years.

The introduction of IAEA using a new spectrometer with unprecedented precision has made a big breakthrough in the IAEA's long-term effort to modernize and enhance the capabilities of analyzing samples of nuclear materials.

IAEA nuclear scientists emphasize that the new spectrophotometer is a mass spectrometer that records the mass of plasma combined with the latest generation induction manifolds (MC-ICP-MS), greatly enhancing the ability Analysis to identify previously unrecognizable differences about nuclear traces.

For the first time, IAEA scientists were able to detect the signal of radioactive dust in the samples of tested nuclear materials, including trace amounts of plutonium or uranium released and deposited from particle activities. multiply.

Using these facts, IAEA scientists can draw conclusions with very high reliability of the original prototype time and no nuclear activity on this prototype.

A more precise technology in mass spectrometers can help IAEA scientists detect and determine the smallest particle masses in samples collected by IAEA inspectors, isolating particles of uranium or plutonium. have been enriched and their isotopic components measured. This new capability helps IAEA identify nuclear material enrichment processes. This is a powerful tool for detecting the presence of all kinds of materials and nuclear activities that nuclear illegal countries want to hide.

The new device will help scientists of IAEA detect plutonium 10 times lower than before. As a result, the IAEA can verify with very high reliability of illegal nuclear activities, enhance the ability to detect traces of illegal plutonium tests or production that previously could not be released. show.

IAEA emphasizes strengthening the ability to analyze and identify nuclear traces that are always in the strategy of maintaining an independent scientific quality with high quality of the IAEA, thereby implementing the function of safety protection and supervision. Nuclear in the world according to the UN nuclear non-proliferation treaty and comprehensive nuclear test ban.