Determination of Low Level Uranium Isotopes in Vegetation Samples
10.11895/j.issn.0253-3820.181098
- VernacularTitle:植物样品中低水平铀同位素分析
- Author:
Tong LU
1
;
Xiao-Lin HOU
;
Lu-Yuan ZHANG
;
Ning CHEN
;
Wei-Chao ZHANG
;
Yan-Yun WANG
Author Information
1. 中国科学院地球环境研究所 黄土与第四纪地质国家重点实验室
- Keywords:
Uranium;
Isotope ratio;
Vegetation samples;
Solid phase extraction;
Inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry
- From:
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry
2018;46(7):1137-1144
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
An analytical method was developed for determination of low-level uranium isotopes in vegetation samples. Dry ashing method was employed to decompose organic matters of vegetation. The sample ash was further digested using multiple acids. Uranium in the prepared sample solution was separated and purified by an extraction chromatography using UTEVA resin. The chemical recovery of uranium in the separation procedure was more than 94% , and more than 99% of Na, K, Ca and other matrix elements and interfering elements were removed. Three natural uranium isotopes were finally measured with high sensitivity ICP-MS/MS. The detection limits of the method for 238U, 235U, 234U were 3. 05, 0. 34 and 0. 04 pg/g, respectively. The detection limits for 238U and 235U were 10 times better than the reported values. Analysis result of U in GBW-10046 standard reference material was in good agreement with reference value, indicating that this method was reliable. The method was successfully applied to determination of uranium isotopes in the vegetation samples collected in Xi′an region, and it was found that the uranium concentrations and isotopic ratios in these vegetation samples fall well into natural level, and there was no significant artificial uranium contamination. This was the first survey of the three natural uranium isotopes in vegetation samples in this region.
