Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1245133 | Talanta | 2009 | 5 Pages |
The determination of uranium isotope ratios in individual particles is of great importance for nuclear safeguards. In the present study, an analytical technique by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a desolvation sample introduction system was applied to isotope ratio analysis of individual uranium particles. In ICP-MS analysis of individual uranium particles with diameters ranging from 0.6 to 4.2 μm in a standard reference material (NBL CRM U050), the use of the desolvation system for sample introduction improved the precision of 234U/238U and 236U/238U isotope ratios. The performance of ICP-MS with desolvation was compared with that of a conventionally used method, i.e., secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The analysis of test swipe samples taken at nuclear facilities implied that the performance of ICP-MS with desolvation was superior to that of SIMS in a viewpoint of accuracy, because the problems of agglomeration of uranium particles and molecular ion interferences by other elements could be avoided. These results indicated that ICP-MS with desolvation has an enough ability to become an effective tool for nuclear safeguards.