title: Isotopic signature of selected lanthanides for nuclear activities profiling using cloud point extraction and ICP-MS/MS.
abstract: The presence of fission products, which include numerous isotopes of lanthanides, can impact the isotopic ratios of these elements in the environment. A cloud point extraction (CPE) method was used as a preconcentration/separation strategy prior to measurement of isotopic ratios of three lanthanides (Nd, Sm, and Eu) by inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). To minimise polyatomic interference, the combination of interferents removal by CPE, reaction/collision cell conditions in He and NH3 mode and tandem quadrupole configuration was investigated and provided optimal results for the determination of isotopic ratio in environmental samples. Isotopic ratios were initially measured in San Joaquin soil (NIST-2709a), an area with little contamination of nuclear origin. Finally, samples collected from three sites with known nuclear activities (Fangataufa Lagoon in French Polynesia, Chernobyl and the Ottawa River near Chalk River Laboratory) were analysed and all exhibited altered isotopic ratios for (143/145)Nd, (147/149)Sm, and (151/153)Eu. These results demonstrate the potential of CPE and ICP-MS/MS for the detection of altered isotopic ratio in environmental samples collected in area subjected to nuclear anthropogenic contamination. The detection of variations in these isotopic ratios of fission products represents the first application of CPE in nuclear forensic investigations of environmental samples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de radioécologie, Département de chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labrecque
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de radioécologie, Département de chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Pablo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lebed
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de radioécologie, Département de chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. Electronic address: dominic.lariviere@chm.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larivière
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
keywords: Cloud point extraction; Fission products; Isotopic ratios; Soil