Progress in determination of long-lived radionuclides by ICP mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometric methods with their ability to provide a very sensitive multielemental and precise isotopic analysis have been established for the determination of radionuclides in environmental samples (waters, soils, geological, biological and medical materials) and radioactive waste materials. Besides the solid state mass spectrometric techniques which allow the direct determination of long-lived radionuclides in the pg g-1 range with a minimum of sample preparation. ICP-MS, especially with on-line coupling techniques (ETV, HPLC, ion chromatography, flow injection) with detection limits in the sub fg ml-1 range is an excellent tool for the analysis of aqueous solutions