Determination of technetium-99 in aqueous samples by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Conference · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10109561· OSTI ID:10180205

Beals, D M

An isotope dilution/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric method (ID/ICP-MS) for measuring the concentration of technetium-99 in aqueous samples was developed at the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC). The procedure is faster than radiometric techniques, is also less subject to interferences, and has equal or better detection limits. It is currently being used to measure the concentration of {sup 99}Tc in samples of Savannah River water collected in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site. In this method, one liter samples of water are spiked with {sup 97}Tc. After equilibration, the technetium is extracted from the sample with a chromatographic resin. Interfering elements, molybdenum and ruthenium, are either not retained by the resin or are washed off with dilute nitric acid. The technetium is then eluted with more concentrated nitric acid, and the {sup 99}Tc/{sup 97}Tc ratio in the eluant is measured with an ICP-MS. The {sup 99}Tc concentration in the original sample is calculated from the {sup 99}Tc/{sup 97}Tc ratio. The chemical recovery of the extraction procedure is greater than 90%. The detection limit of the instrument, taken as three times the background counts at m/z = 99, is 0.6 part per trillion (ppt). The detection limit of the procedure, taken as three times the standard deviation of several reagent blank analyses, is 0.33 pCi/L.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10180205
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS--92-141; CONF-9209120--1; ON: DE92040832
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540330
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CHEMICAL AND SPECTRAL PROCEDURES
DETECTION
FRESH WATER
ISOTOPE DILUTION
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
SAVANNAH RIVER
TECHNETIUM 97
TECHNETIUM 99