Direct analysis of cotton swipes for plutonium isotope determination by microextraction-ICP-MS
| Autor: | Shalina C. Metzger, Benjamin D. Roach, Brian W. Ticknor, Cole R. Hexel, Debra A. Bostick, N. Alex Zirakparvar, Benjamin T. Manard, Kayron T. Rogers |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry. 36:2202-2209 |
| ISSN: | 1364-5544 0267-9477 |
| Popis: | This study demonstrates a method for determining the isotopic composition of low-level (sub-pg) plutonium (Pu) directly from a cotton swipe. Environmental sample (ES) swipes are routinely employed as a tool for monitoring activities in nuclear facilities. Traditional ES swipe analysis, as employed in nuclear safeguards, utilizes laborious ashing, digestion, and chemical separation procedures prior to mass spectrometric (MS) analysis. Here, an innovative sample introduction technique employing a microextraction probe to extract Pu directly from the swipe surface is described. The microextraction probe lowers onto the swipe surface, seals on a small area (8 mm2), and delivers solvent (2% HNO3) to extract actinide material that may be present. The extracted analyte is subsequently directed into a sector field inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-MS for isotope ratio determination. This microextraction-ICP-MS method successfully determined the isotopic composition (240Pu/239Pu and 242Pu/239Pu) of three Pu certified reference materials (CRM 136, 137, and 138) that were deposited (1 pg) onto ES swipes. The percent relative difference from the certified value, uncorrected for instrumental fractionation, was |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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