The determination of Neptunium-237 in urine by ICP-MS

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7163786

Wade, J W; Morton, S J; Stewart, Jr, J H

A routine analytical method for measuring Np-237 in urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed. Neptunium is co-precipitated from an aliquot of urine with calcium phosphate. The precipitate is wet ashed with nitric acid, and the neptunium is absorbed on a commercially available chromatography material. The major constituents of the ashed sample are eluted with 4M nitric acid, and neptunium is eluted with ammonium bioxalate. Detection limits of 0.1 pCi/L are easily obtained with 50 ml aliquots of urine. Chemical recovery is monitored with a spike of Np-239. Purified sample aliquots are screened on the ICP-MS using pneumatic nebulization and Th-230 as an internal standard. Neptunium-237 at the femtogram level is then determined by the ICP-MS after sample introduction into the system by electrothermal vaporization. Although this method has been extensively tested for urine, it can be applicable for environmental matrices after the initial sample preparation.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7163786
• Report Number(s): CONF-9209199-1; ON: DE92040706
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
560101 -- Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies-- Radiation Effects-- Dosimetry & Monitoring-- (1992-)
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NANOSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEPTUNIUM 237
NEPTUNIUM ISOTOPES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PERSONNEL MONITORING
PLASMA
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
TRACE AMOUNTS
URINE
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES