Sequential ion-exchange separation for isotopic and quantitative analysis of trace amounts of U, Th, Pb and lanthanoids

Miyamoto, Yutaka   ; Yasuda, Kenichiro   ; Kokubu, Yoko   ; Magara, Masaaki  ; Usuda, Shigekazu

The authors investigated separation scheme of trace amounts of U, Th, Pb and lanthanoids using an anion-exchange column to analyse the abundance and isotopic ratio of those elements in environmental samples. For reducing the procedural blank, the separation was carried out with an anion-exchange column and high-pure or easy-to-purified reagents (methanol, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid). The mixture, which consists of mainly acetic acid, was good eluants for this separation. Each objective elements was sequentially separated, and fully recovered from a mixture of ICP-MS standard solution.