Seeking for a Master thesis worker! Etsitään gradutyöntekijää!

Master thesis ”Difficult-to-measure radionuclides in activated concrete” is associated with national KYT-DEMONI and Nordic NKS DTM Decom II projects. Activated concrete has been selected for sample matrix because it’s among the most important materials in nuclear decommissioning, mainly due to its large volume. The Master thesis work includes literature survey, method development, testing and validation for both non-volatile radionuclides (Ca-41, Fe-55 and Ni-63) and volatile radionuclides (H-3, C-14 and Cl-36) in activated concrete. The thesis worker will learn several radiochemical separation techniques and different determination methods used in analysis of DTM (difficult-to-measure) radionuclides, e.g. extraction chromatography, ion exchange, liquid scintillation counting, pyrolyser, ICP-OES and MP-AES.

This is the second Master thesis about the same project, the previous thesis focused on activated steel as a sample matrix (please see Iso-Markku T. “Difficult-to-measure beta active radionuclides in nuclear decommissioning waste”, Master thesis 2019, http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:hulib-201906243063, and Leskinen et al. “Determination of 14C, 55Fe, 63Ni and gamma emitters in activated RPV steel samples: a comparison between calculations and experimental analysis”, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 2020).

A grant of 2000 € will be paid for the committed thesis worker in two parts, on half-way and after completion of the thesis.

Starting time of the work is flexibly September 2020-January 2021, but as soon as possible after 1st September. The practical work and supervision will be jointly divided between Radiochemistry UH and VTT (in the Centre of Nuclear Safety in Otaniemi Espoo). Contact person at UH is PhD Susanna Salminen-Paatero and at VTT PhD Anumaija Leskinen. Any questions or volunteers are very welcome, please contact via e-mail susanna.salminen-paatero@helsinki.fi!