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NBL develops and maintains state-of-the-art measurement
technology with priority given to methods
needed to respond to identified customer requirements
and to those methods essential for certification
of reference materials. Research conducted
includes the chemical and instrumental measurement
of elemental and isotopic compositions of
a broad spectrum of material types. Major
NBL accomplishments have been oriented towards
development and reporting of reliable and
rapid methods, directly traceable to national
and international standards, for the assay
of uranium- and plutonium-containing materials.
Examples include modification of an existing
reduction-oxidation titration method into
a procedure for the determination of uranium
now used as the primary titrimetric procedure
in most laboratories around the world; development
of an automated controlled-potential coulometric
determination of plutonium; and development
of isotopic analysis methods for solid, liquid,
and gaseous samples on a variety of computer-controlled
mass spectrometers. Recently, waste minimization
initiatives have been driving use of smaller
samples with no loss of precision to minimize
wastes generated from analytical operations
and/or have been oriented towards eliminating
the formation of mixed-waste materials. The
results of such research are published as
part of NBL's technology transfer mission.
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