Abstract
The choice of the analytical method for the determination of actinide isotopes in leachate solutions has to be made considering several parameters: detection limit for each isotope, sample preparation procedure in terms of duration and complexity, counting time and interferences. A leachate solution obtained by keeping a pellet of UO2 doped with 238Pu in contact with distilled water was investigated for the content of U and Pu isotopes by radiometric methods (α-, γ-spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting). The results of the radiometric methods were compared with those obtained from the analysis performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on-line to a system for chromatographic separation (IC-ICP-MS). The comparison confirmed that IC-ICP-MS is a powerful method for the detection of long-lived radionuclides. The radiometric methods have a detection limit two orders of magnitude lower than IC-ICP-MS in the case of short-lived radioisotopes mostly due to the low background in the detector. On the other hand, the sample preparation and the analysis duration are more time-consuming compared to IC-ICP-MS; moreover, not all isotopes can be determined by using only one radiometric technique.
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Received: 12 April 2000 / Revised: 20 June 2000 / Accepted: 22 June 2000
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Solatie, D., Carbol, P., Betti, M. et al. Ion chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS) and radiometric techniques for the determination of actinides in aqueous leachate solutions from uranium oxide. Fresenius J Anal Chem 368, 88–94 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160000536
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160000536