Abstract

Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) is a sensitive method for environmental monitoring of effluent radionuclides around nuclear material production facilities. Isotopic analysis by positive and negative TIMS is an essential tool for the assessment of both the inventory and migration of radionuclides in the environment. Instrumentation used for trace-level isotope ratio measurements is described. Examples are given of environmental measurements of plutonium and radioiodine at the Hanford Site, a former nuclear material production site. In favorable cases, complete isotopic analyses are obtained on total analytes in the femtogram range, and minor isotopes in the attogram range are measured. The method of direct particle-inlet mass spectrometry (PIMS) for real-time analysis of airborne particles is also described, along with PIMS instrumentation. Examples are given that demonstrate the capability of PIMS to measure uranium isotope ratios in individual particles without isolating them from complex, heterogeneous samples.

Resonance-ionization mass spectrometry of carbon

L. J. Moore, J. D. Fassett, J. C. Travis, T. B. Lucatorto, and C. W. Clark
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 2(9) 1561-1565 (1985)

Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy of lutetium isotopes through resonance-ionization mass spectrometry

Bryan L. Fearey, Denise C. Parent, Richard A. Keller, and Charles M. Miller
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7(1) 3-8 (1990)

Selective isotope determination of lanthanum by diode-laser-initiated resonance-ionization mass spectrometry

J. P. Young and R. W. Shaw
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(8) 1398-1402 (1995)

Use of two-photon excitation in resonance ionization mass spectrometry

E. C. Apel, J. E. Anderson, R. C. Estler, N. S. Nogar, and C. M. Miller
Appl. Opt. 26(6) 1045-1050 (1987)

Resonance-ionization mass spectrometry for high-resolution, mass-resolved spectra of rare isotopes

Charles M. Miller, Rolf Engleman, and Richard A. Keller
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 2(9) 1503-1509 (1985)