Isotope measurement of uranium at ultratrace levels using multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometric analysis was carried out using multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for the precise and accurate determination of the isotope ratios of ultratrace levels of uranium dissolved in 3% HNO₃. We used the certified reference material (CRM) 112-A at a trace level of 100 pg/mL for the uranium isotopic measurement. Multiple collectors were utilized for the simultaneous measurement of uranium isotopes to reduce the signal uncertainty due to variations in the ion beam intensity over time. Mass bias correction was applied to the measured U isotopes to improve the precision and accuracy. Furthermore, elemental standard solution with certified values of platinum, iridium, gold, and thallium dissolved in 3% HNO₃ were analyzed to investigate the formation rates of the polyatomic ions of Ir⁴⁰Ar⁺, Pt⁴⁰Ar⁺, Tl⁴⁰Ar⁺, Au⁴⁰Ar⁺ for the concentration range of 50-400 pg/mL. Those polyatomic ions have mass-to-charge ratios in the 230-245 m/z region that it would contribute to the increase of background intensity of uranium, thorium, plutonium, and americium isotopes. The effect of the polyatomic ion interference on uranium isotope measurement has been estimated.