Pushing Limits of ICP-MS/MS for the Determination of Ultralow U/U Isotope Ratios.

Determination of uranium isotope ratios is of great expedience for assessing its origin in environmental samples. In particular, the U/U isotope ratio provides a powerful tool to discriminate between the different sources of uranium (uranium ore, geochemical background, and uranium from anthropogenic activities). However, in the environment, this ratio is typically below 10. This low abundance of U and the presence in large excess of major isotopes (mainly U and U) complicates the accurate detection of U signal by mass spectrometry and thus highly sensitive analytical instruments providing high abundance sensitivity are required. This work pushes the limits of triple quadrupole-based ICP-MS technology for accurate detection of U/U isotope ratios down to 10, which is so far mainly achievable by AMS. Coupled with an efficient desolvating module, NO was used as the reaction gas in the collision reaction cell of the ICP-MS/MS. This configuration allows a significant decrease of the uranium polyatomic interferences (UH ions) and an accurate determination of low U/U isotope ratios. This new methodology was successfully validated through measurements of certified reference material from 10 to 10 and then through comparisons with AMS measurement results for ratios down to 10. This is the first time that U/U isotope ratios as low as 10 were determined by ICP-MS/MS. The possibility of measuring low U/U isotope ratios can offer a large variety of geochemical applications in particular for the determination of uranium sources in the environment.