Determining the age and history of plutonium using isotope correlations and experimentally determined data on isotopic abundances of plutonium and 241Am

Linear correlations using a data set of nominally cooled samples of Pu formed in Indian PHWRs using experimentally determined Pu-241/Pu-239 versus Pu-240/Pu-239 and Am-241/Pu-239 versus Pu-240/Pu-239 isotope ratios have been developed which can be used for determining the age of Pu. By correlating both Pu and Am isotopic information, an understanding of how the material was processed, when chemical separations occurred to remove Am-241 as well as the true age of the Pu in sample can be obtained. Two actual samples from a PHWR with unknown origin were analyzed as a part of case study for application of this new methodology.