Limiting spectroscopic interferences of ²³⁹Pu and ²³⁷Np in a UO₂ matrix using LA-ICP-MS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spectral overlap for actinides and directly measure plutonium in uranium oxide and neptunium in uranium oxide matrix without an internal standard using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The system successfully measured ²³⁹Pu and ²³⁷Np with linear correlation coefficients (>0.99), relative standard deviations, limits of detections (0.026 and 0.111 wt% respectively) and percent biases reported. Each sample set was measured and analyzed within an hour which suggests a more rapid analytical technique than current methods used in nuclear safeguards to quantify plutonium and neptunium in a uranium matrix. (author)