Issue 2, 2025

An emergency radiobioassay method for Pu, Am and Cm isotopes in urine samples using tandem quadrupole ICP-MS

Abstract

The rapid bioassay method for measuring actinides in human urine samples is the most appropriate way for the assessment of internal exposure doses during radiological and nuclear emergencies. A rapid simultaneous analysis method for 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Am and 244Cm in 100 mL urine samples was established by using tandem quadrupole ICP-MS (ICP-MS/MS), combined with a hydrous titanium oxide (HTiO) co-precipitation step and a tandem small size resin column (TEVA + DGA) purification step for shortening the sample processing time. The ICP-MS/MS measurements of Pu isotopes, 241Am and 244Cm were optimized in Q3 only mode and MS/MS mode, respectively, and the interferents from the urine matrix were appropriately suppressed by applying Axial Field Voltage (AFT). The measurement sensitivities of Pu and Am isotopes were improved by employing NH3 or He as collision/reaction cell gases, and an interesting finding is that pure NH3 significantly improved the Pu measurement sensitivity. The detection limits for the method were estimated to be 1.12 fg (2.57 × 10−3 mBq) for 239Pu, 0.97 fg (8.14 × 10−3 mBq) for 240Pu, 1.46 fg (0.19 mBq) for 241Am and 0.74 fg (2.16 mBq) for 244Cm in 100 mL urine, meeting the sensitivity requirements for emergency urine bioassay methods.

Graphical abstract: An emergency radiobioassay method for Pu, Am and Cm isotopes in urine samples using tandem quadrupole ICP-MS

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Aug 2024
Accepted
02 Dec 2024
First published
24 Jan 2025

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2025,40, 513-519

An emergency radiobioassay method for Pu, Am and Cm isotopes in urine samples using tandem quadrupole ICP-MS

Y. Wu, X. Dai, M. Luo, H. Guo, N. Yuan, Y. Yang, J. He and Y. Guo, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2025, 40, 513 DOI: 10.1039/D4JA00279B

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