Application of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to the Measurement of Long-Lived Radionuclides in Environmental Samples A Review

This review describes applications of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to the determination of long-lived radionuclides in environmental samples. Simultaneous determination of 232Th and 238U in biological samples is described in detail; in this procedure an internal standard, Tl or Bi, is adopted for correction of the matrix effect. Determination of 237Np in soil samples by ICP-MS is also described. It is chemically separated to ensure no interference from matrix elements. The detection limits are several mBq (several pg) for the case of radionuclides having a half life of thirty or forty thousand years.