Abstract
A sensitive analytical method was established for the determination of Th and U in activated concrete samples. The method combines an anion-exchange separation step with an ICP-MS determination technique. In the ICP-MS measurement, a few μg mL–1 of Al and Ca, a few ng mL–1 of Mn, La, Ce, Nd and Pb and pg mL–1 amounts of Li, Zr, Nb and Ba coexisting in the anion-exchange fraction of Th and U did not interfere. No adverse interference effects were observed in real sample analyses. The obtained detection limits (3σ, n = 10) of Th and U were 2.3 and 1.8 pg mL–1, respectively. The analytical precisions for ca. 5 μg g–1 Th and ca. 1 μg g–1 U in real activated concrete samples were equally less than 7% RSD. The accuracies obtained by the analysis of GSJ rock standard samples were –18.1 to 0.4% for the Th determination and –14.0 to –5.7% for the U determination. The method uses the conventional absolute calibration curve. The internal standard calibration is unnecessary.
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Received: 14 March 1999 / Revised: 13 July 1999 / Accepted: 15 July 1999
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Kato, K., Ito, M. & Watanabe, K. Determination of thorium and uranium in activated concrete by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after anion-exchange separation. Fresenius J Anal Chem 366, 54–58 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160050011
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160050011