OPTIMIZATION OF 226RA URINE EXTRACTION FOR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY (ICP-MS) ANALYSIS

International audienceRadium 226 has been identified as a highly radiotoxic radionuclide with a high potential of malevolence uses. In radiological emergency situations and for medical monitoring of nuclear workers, urine analysis is the more convenient to estimate the effective dose. A lot of methods for radium analysis in urine have been described in the literature, differing from the time of preparation and analysis and detection limit. Based on the protocol defined by Cozzella and al. in 2011(1) who used the Dowex® 50W-X8 resin, the urine extraction procedure of 226Ra was optimized for ICP-MS analysis in order to realize the extraction as fast as possible with a detection limit adapted to highlight an effective dose of 1 mSv. Besides this optimization, the contribution of polyatomic interferences as 88Sr138Ba, very common interference for 226Ra measurement by ICP-MS, was determined and taken into account in our results. First results showed that the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin was not complete in our experimental conditions. Two hypothesis could explain these results: the saturation of the resin or the acid conditions that are not optimal for the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin. To improve these results, some experiments were performed:-Determination of the distribution coefficient of 226Ra on Dowex® 50W-X8 to adapt the preconditionement of the resin and optimize the radium elution step,-Determination of the maximal capacity of Dowex® 50W-X8 resin for radium extraction,-Optimization of the procedure with a mineralization step after the co-precipitation of radium in order to eliminate the organic matter which prevent the radium extraction on the resin.Besides that, two other resins were also tested: -The Analig® Ra-01, a specific resin for radium, that has been applied by Verlinde et al. for water analysis (2),-The calix-[6]-arene based column that has been developed for actinides in urine by Bouvier-Capely et al.(1)Cozzella M.L. et al. Determination of 226Ra in urine samples by Q-ICP-MS : a method for routine analyses. Radiat Meas. 2011 ; 46 : 109-111.(2)Verlinde M. and al. A new protocol for 226Ra separation and preconcentration in natural water sample using molecular recognition technology for ICP-MS analysis. J Environ Radioact. 2019 ; 202 : 1-7.(3)Bouvier-Capely et al. Operational protocol for detection of contamination by actinides U, Pu and Am in urine using Calixarene columns : from mineralization to ICP-MS measurement. Am J Anal Chem. 2017 ; 8 : 317-333

OPTIMIZATION OF 226RA URINE EXTRACTION FOR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY (ICP-MS) ANALYSIS

International audienceRadium 226 has been identified as a highly radiotoxic radionuclide with a high potential of malevolence uses. In radiological emergency situations and for medical monitoring of nuclear workers, urine analysis is the more convenient to estimate the effective dose. A lot of methods for radium analysis in urine have been described in the literature, differing from the time of preparation and analysis and detection limit. Based on the protocol defined by Cozzella and al. in 2011(1) who used the Dowex® 50W-X8 resin, the urine extraction procedure of 226Ra was optimized for ICP-MS analysis in order to realize the extraction as fast as possible with a detection limit adapted to highlight an effective dose of 1 mSv. Besides this optimization, the contribution of polyatomic interferences as 88Sr138Ba, very common interference for 226Ra measurement by ICP-MS, was determined and taken into account in our results. First results showed that the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin was not complete in our experimental conditions. Two hypothesis could explain these results: the saturation of the resin or the acid conditions that are not optimal for the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin. To improve these results, some experiments were performed:-Determination of the distribution coefficient of 226Ra on Dowex® 50W-X8 to adapt the preconditionement of the resin and optimize the radium elution step,-Determination of the maximal capacity of Dowex® 50W-X8 resin for radium extraction,-Optimization of the procedure with a mineralization step after the co-precipitation of radium in order to eliminate the organic matter which prevent the radium extraction on the resin.Besides that, two other resins were also tested: -The Analig® Ra-01, a specific resin for radium, that has been applied by Verlinde et al. for water analysis (2),-The calix-[6]-arene based column that has been developed for actinides in urine by Bouvier-Capely et al.(1)Cozzella M.L. et al. Determination of 226Ra in urine samples by Q-ICP-MS : a method for routine analyses. Radiat Meas. 2011 ; 46 : 109-111.(2)Verlinde M. and al. A new protocol for 226Ra separation and preconcentration in natural water sample using molecular recognition technology for ICP-MS analysis. J Environ Radioact. 2019 ; 202 : 1-7.(3)Bouvier-Capely et al. Operational protocol for detection of contamination by actinides U, Pu and Am in urine using Calixarene columns : from mineralization to ICP-MS measurement. Am J Anal Chem. 2017 ; 8 : 317-333

OPTIMIZATION OF 226RA URINE EXTRACTION FOR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY (ICP-MS) ANALYSIS

International audienceRadium 226 has been identified as a highly radiotoxic radionuclide with a high potential of malevolence uses. In radiological emergency situations and for medical monitoring of nuclear workers, urine analysis is the more convenient to estimate the effective dose. A lot of methods for radium analysis in urine have been described in the literature, differing from the time of preparation and analysis and detection limit. Based on the protocol defined by Cozzella and al. in 2011(1) who used the Dowex® 50W-X8 resin, the urine extraction procedure of 226Ra was optimized for ICP-MS analysis in order to realize the extraction as fast as possible with a detection limit adapted to highlight an effective dose of 1 mSv. Besides this optimization, the contribution of polyatomic interferences as 88Sr138Ba, very common interference for 226Ra measurement by ICP-MS, was determined and taken into account in our results. First results showed that the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin was not complete in our experimental conditions. Two hypothesis could explain these results: the saturation of the resin or the acid conditions that are not optimal for the radium extraction on Dowex® 50W-X8 resin. To improve these results, some experiments were performed:-Determination of the distribution coefficient of 226Ra on Dowex® 50W-X8 to adapt the preconditionement of the resin and optimize the radium elution step,-Determination of the maximal capacity of Dowex® 50W-X8 resin for radium extraction,-Optimization of the procedure with a mineralization step after the co-precipitation of radium in order to eliminate the organic matter which prevent the radium extraction on the resin.Besides that, two other resins were also tested: -The Analig® Ra-01, a specific resin for radium, that has been applied by Verlinde et al. for water analysis (2),-The calix-[6]-arene based column that has been developed for actinides in urine by Bouvier-Capely et al.(1)Cozzella M.L. et al. Determination of 226Ra in urine samples by Q-ICP-MS : a method for routine analyses. Radiat Meas. 2011 ; 46 : 109-111.(2)Verlinde M. and al. A new protocol for 226Ra separation and preconcentration in natural water sample using molecular recognition technology for ICP-MS analysis. J Environ Radioact. 2019 ; 202 : 1-7.(3)Bouvier-Capely et al. Operational protocol for detection of contamination by actinides U, Pu and Am in urine using Calixarene columns : from mineralization to ICP-MS measurement. Am J Anal Chem. 2017 ; 8 : 317-333