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Determination of long-lived actinides in soil leachates by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

  • Determination of Actinide Elements in Environmental Materials
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Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to concurrently determine multiple long-lived (t1/2>104 y) actinide isotopes in soil leachates. Ultrasonic nebulization was found to maximize instrument sensitivity. Instrument detection limits for actinides in solution ranged from 50 mBq L−1 (239Pu) to 2μBq L−1 (235U). Hydride adducts of232Th and238U interfered with the determinations of233U and239Pu; thus, extraction chromatography was used to concentrate the analytes and separate uranium from the other actinides in advance of mass spectrometric determination. Alpha spectrometric determinations of230Th,239Pu, and the234U/238U activity ratio in soil leachates compared well with ICP-MS determinations; however, there were some small systematic differences (ca. 10%) between ICP-MS and α-spectrometric determinations of234U and238U activities. These differences were attributed to the use of different isotope dilution spikes for ICP-MS and α-spectrometry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, 60439-4831, Argonne, IL, USA

    J. S. Crain, L. L. Smith, J. S. Yaeger & J. A. Alvarado

Authors
  1. J. S. Crain
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  2. L. L. Smith
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  3. J. S. Yaeger
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  4. J. A. Alvarado
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Crain, J.S., Smith, L.L., Yaeger, J.S. et al. Determination of long-lived actinides in soil leachates by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 194, 133–139 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037619

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037619

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