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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Determination of uranium in tap water by ICP-MS

M. El HimriM. De La GuardiaA. Pastor

subject

Detection limitChromatographyChemistryAnalytical chemistryReproducibility of Resultschemistry.chemical_elementRepeatabilityIsotope dilutionUraniumSensitivity and SpecificityBiochemistryMass SpectrometryMoroccoMineral waterTap waterMetalsSpainWater SupplyUraniumInductively coupled plasmaInductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

description

A fast and accurate procedure has been developed for the determination of uranium at microg L(-1) level in tap and mineral water. The method is based on the direct introduction of samples, without any chemical pre-treatment, into an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Uranium was determined at the mass number 238 using Rh as internal standard. The method provides a limit of detection of 2 ng L(-1) and a good repeatability with relative standard deviation values (RSD) about 3% for five independent analyses of samples containing 73 microg L(-1) of uranium. Recovery percentage values found for the determination of uranium in spiked natural samples varied between 91% and 106%. Results obtained are comparable with those found by radiochemical methods for natural samples and of the same order for the certified content of a reference material, thus indicating the accuracy of the ICP-MS procedure without the need of using isotope dilution. A series of mineral and tap waters from different parts of Spain and Morocco were analysed.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s002160051616