Interlaboratory comparison for boron isotope ratio measurement with inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometer

Boron isotope ratios were analyzed in seven domestic analytical labs for boric acid solutions with various compositions of boron isotope abundances, using an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (ICP-QMS). Five sample solutions with different isotope abundances of 10B were prepared in the range of 10 to 20 % by mixing two boric acid solutions containing natural B and enriched 11B, respectively. Then, the 10B isotope abundances of each sample were certified by analyzing with thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TI-MS) according to ASTM-C791-04. Results obtained from each lab have indicated good coincidences with TI-MS results. Also, the relative standard deviations of results with ICP-QMS of seven analytical labs were 0.11 to 0.81 %. The measurement precision for ICP-QMS would be sufficient in terms of practical use, while taking into consideration a valid requirement required for verifying a depletion of the 10B isotope abundance in the PWR coolant, while this is greater than a nominal analytical error (relative value : 0.22 %) for TI-MS shown in ASTM-C791-04. (author)