Development of a Technique for Direct Analysis of Uranium-Based Products with PM and REE Additives by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

The possibilities of conducting a direct mass spectral determination of Li, Be, Mg, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, and Nd in the products of processing spent nuclear fuel based on metallic uranium or its oxides are discussed. The optimum method of sample preparation is selected to ensure a quantitative transition of all elements into a working solution. The influence of the uranium content on the analytical signal intensity and the detection limits of the elements to be detected is estimated. The presence of 1 g/L uranium in a solution is found to decrease the analytical signal intensity by 50 times and worsens the detection limits of individual analytes by two orders of magnitude compared to these indicators in uranium-free solutions. The possibility of using internal standards to correct matrix effects is shown.