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Title: INTERNAL STANDARD TECHNIQUE FOR PRECISE ISOTOPIC ABUNDANCE MEASUREMENTS IN THERMAL IONIZATION MASS SPECTROMETRY

Journal Article · · Analytical Chemistry (U.S.) Formerly Ind. Eng. Chem., Anal. Ed.
OSTI ID:4792286

An internal standard technique which gives more than a 5-fold improvement in the precision of an isotopic analysis made in a thermal ionization mass spectrometer is described. The technique developed has application in the following fields: certain half life determinations; geochemical age determinations; nuclear absorption cross sections and low isotopic burnup; and isotopic dilution analysis for the assay of uranium. To apply the technique, three or more isotopes of an element must be present so that two different isotopic ratios of the same element can be compared in such a manner as to eliminate almost completely mass discrimination (instrument bias). The flexibility of the internal standard technique to problems which are amenable to surface ionization mass spectrometry is clarified is discussions given on its application to uranium isotope abundance measurements and to a new determination of the half life of Cs/sup 137/. (P.C.H.)

Research Organization:
General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y.
NSA Number:
NSA-16-016317
OSTI ID:
4792286
Journal Information:
Analytical Chemistry (U.S.) Formerly Ind. Eng. Chem., Anal. Ed., Vol. Vol: 34; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English