Development of argon cover gas analysis for fast reactors using atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry with collision-indued dissociation

not registered; Ito, Chikara   ; Arima, Toshihiro*; Yamaguchi, Katsuyuki*

The isotopic measurement of krypton in argon is partially obstructed by the isobaric interference in the fast reactor cover gas analysis that is performed using atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry. Collision-induced dissociation is applied to decompose cluster ions and suppress the interference. Cluster ions are accelerated by an electric field in a relatively high-pressure region and are dissociated through multiple collisions with neutral particles. This process is controlled by changing the accelerating voltage in the present study. It is shown that the isobaric interference due to argon dimer ions are suppressed by increasing the accelerating voltage. The isobaric interference could be reduced to 1/60,000 in the most effective condition. It is also found that collision-induced dissociation enhances the detection sensitivity and permits quantitative analysis with a sub-ppt level for the krypton nuclides that are not interfered.