Using ICP - QQQ for UO 2 + product ion measurement to reduce uranium hydride ion interference and enable trace 236 U isotopic analysis Application note

Uranium 236 is a long-lived radionuclide which is created from the naturally occurring trace isotope 235U (0.72% abundance) by thermal neutron capture. This process leads to a natural abundance of 236U in the range from 10-14—10-13 relative to the major 238U isotope (236U/238U). 236U is also created during the process of uranium enrichment for nuclear fuel or weapons, and as a waste product from the consumption of enriched uranium fuel in nuclear reactors. The 236U/238U ratio is increased up to 10-3 in spent nuclear fuel, with background levels in the environment increased up to around 10-7—10-8 as a result of global fallout [1]. The 236U/238U isotope ratio can therefore be used as a sensitive method to trace the accidental release of enriched uranium fuel, spent fuel and nuclear waste, and to investigate the effects of nuclear technology on the environment and human health. Consequently, instrumentation used in the accurate study of global fallout needs to perform 236U/238U isotopic ratio analysis at the <10-9 level. Using ICP-QQQ for UO2 product ion measurement to reduce uranium hydride ion interference and enable trace 236U isotopic analysis