Mapping of uranium particles on J-type swipes with microextraction-ICP-MS

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Nuclear Forensics

Background:

• Environmental sampling programs, like those by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), often use J-type swipes for detecting nuclear materials.
• Accurate isotopic determination of uranium particles is crucial for nuclear safeguards and environmental monitoring.
• Existing methods may face challenges in analyzing uranium particles within complex matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a microextraction liquid sampling system coupled to ICP-MS for spatially discerning uranium particles on J-type swipes.
• To assess the method's capability in identifying uranium isotopic abundance and chemical forms.
• To demonstrate the application of this technique for analyzing uranium in complex matrices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a microextraction liquid sampling system integrated with a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS).
• Analyzed uranium (U) particulates (<20 μm) of varying isotopic abundance and chemical form (uranyl fluoride, uranyl nitrate hexahydrate) placed on J-type swipes.
• Generated heat maps for spatial distribution, intensity, and isotopic determination of uranium particles.
• Tested the method on depleted uranium particulates embedded in a clay matrix.

Main Results:

• The microextraction-ICP-MS methodology successfully detected and isotopically identified uranium particulates on J-type swipes.
• Generated heat maps accurately represented the location, intensity, and isotopic composition of the uranium particles.
• The isotopic determinations for uranium particulates agreed with reference values.
• The method demonstrated successful extraction and isotopic identification of uranium from a complex clay matrix on a swipe, a first for this technique.

Conclusions:

• The microextraction-ICP-MS system provides a powerful tool for the isotopic analysis of uranium particles on environmental swipe samples.
• This methodology is effective for detecting uranium particles, even within challenging complex matrices.
• The technique holds significant utility for nuclear safeguards, environmental monitoring, and forensic applications requiring precise particle analysis.