The Use of solution nebulization ICP-MS combined with particle screening and micro-sampling for analysis of individual uranium-bearing particles

Esaka, Fumitaka  ; Magara, Masaaki  ; Kimura, Takaumi 

A fission track technique and automated particle measurement (APM) were used as particle screening methods to select uranium containing particles, prior to the ICP-MS analysis. In the ICP-MS combined with the fission track technique, the uranium isotope abundance ratios were successfully determined for individual particles with diameters ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 m in a certified reference material. The analysis of the real inspection swipe sample gave the U/U isotope abundance ratios between 0.0246 and 0.0376. When the APM was used as the particle screening method for the real inspection swipe sample, the U/U isotope abundance ratios ranging from 0.0259 to 0.0432 were obtained. From these result, it is indicated that the performance of APM to identify uranium containing particles with higher U abundance is greater than that of the fission track technique.