Abstract
A basic study was performed on the mass spectrometric determination of burnup for a UO2 specimen irradiated in the HFR. It has been found that:
(1) By isotopic analysis of uranium, the contribution to burnup provided by the specimen through fissioning of 235U was determined to be 4, 370 MWD/T. The loss of 235U through neutron capture was distinguished by the production of 236U.
(2) The contribution to burnup of the specimen by fissioning of 239Pu was determined to be 3, 610 MWD/T from the excess formation of fission products such as 93Zr, based on the known number of 235U fissions.
(3) The total burnup of the UO2 specimen was taken to be 7, 980 MWD/T, since no other isotopes of plutonium were identified.
