Uranium age dating measurements by laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS in uranium materials

The aim of the present work was to develop a direct method for age dating (production date measurement) of uranium samples by laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) by the measurement of 230Th/234U ratio. The major instrumental conditions and sample characteristics affecting the accuracy and precision were investigated in this systematic study. By comparing the obtained LA-MC-ICP-MS results with those of obtained after chemical separation measurements, it shows that the LA-MC-ICP-MS method is capable to produce accurate results for pure highly enriched uranium. Natural and low-enriched uranium, however, needs a higher mass resolution to remove the identified interferences, which can lead to erroneous results.

VARGA Zsolt;  NICHOLL Adrian;  WALLENIUS Maria;  MAYER Klaus; 

2024-07-23

SPRINGER

JRC135122

0236-5731 (online),   

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10967-023-09229-0,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC135122,   

10.1007/s10967-023-09229-0 (online),