Development of ultramicro analysis technology for fuel debris analysis, 15; Mutual discrimination of Am/Cm using ICP-MS/MS

Kazama, Hiroyuki  ; Sekio, Yoshihiro  ; Maeda, Koji  ; Koyama, Shinichi  ; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Konashi, Kenji*; Abe, Chikage*; Nagai, Yasuyoshi*

Triple-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) is attractive technique to perform rapid and accurate analysis of fuel debris in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The collision/reaction cell technology incorporated in ICP-MS/MS is an available option to eliminate isobaric interferences, being expected to simplify the pretreatment of fuel debris analysis. When fuel debris contains Am and Cm, the pretreatment involving Am/Cm separation is difficult due to similarly chemical behavior of these actinides. In this study, ICP-MS/MS measurements of Am and Cm injecting CO were carried out. From the obtained results, we suggest candidate conditions to discriminate the isobars of these actinides by use of the differences in their molecular ion formation tendency with variation of CO flow rate.