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Published on: June 6, 2018
Development of a method for rapid analysis of Ra-226 in groundwater and discharge water samples by ICP-QQQ-MS
E M van Es1, B C Russell2, P Ivanov2
1Chemistry Department, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
A novel and rapid method has been developed for pre-concentration and measurement of 226Ra in groundwater and discharge water samples using the latest generation triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-QQQ-MS). Cation exchange and extraction chromatography are capable of pre-concentration factors of ~200 based on 1L samples. The sensitivity and interference removal capability of ICP-QQQ-MS was assessed from spiked groundwaters, with the introduction of He collision gas required to minimise instrument background in high-matrix samples. The technique developed is potentially capable of detecting 226Ra activities as low as 5mBqL-1 when combined with pre-concentration prior to measurement.
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