title: Comparison of ICP-MS and SIMS techniques for determining uranium isotope ratios in individual particles.
abstract: 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 microm in a standard reference material (NBL CRM U050), the use of the desolvation system for sample introduction improved the precision of (234)U/(238)U and (236)U/(238)U 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.
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Analytical Science, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan. esaka.fumitaka@jaea.go.jp
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magara
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Usuda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinohara
mesh_terms: D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D014501:Uranium