Determination of I-129/I-127 isotope ratios in liquid solutions and environmental soil samples by ICP-MS with hexapole collision cell

The determination of I-129 in environmental samples at ultratrace levels is very difficult by ICP-MS due to a high noise caused by Xe impurities in argon plasma gas (interference of Xe-129(+)), possible (IH2+)-I-127 interference and an insufficient abundance ratio sensitivity of the ICP mass spectrometer for I-129/I-127 isotope ratio measurement. A sensitive, powerful and fast analytical technique for iodine isotope ratio measurements in aqueous solutions and contaminated soil samples directly without sample preparation using ICP-MS with a hexapole collision cell (ICP-CC-QMS) was developed. Oxygen is used as reaction and carrier gas for iodine thermal desorption via the gas phase from solid environmental material in the sample introduction device coupled on-line to ICP-CC-QMS. A mixture of oxygen and helium as reaction gases in the hexapole collision cell was applied for reducing disturbing background intensity of Xe-129(+). After optimization of measurement procedures the detection limit for I-129(+) in aqueous solution was 8x10(-13) g ml(-1), which is better by about two orders of magnitude in comparison to the detection limit for I-129(+) in sector field ICP-MS. The detection limit for direct I-129(+) determination in contaminated environmental (soil) samples via gas-phase desorption without any additional sample preparation was 3x10(-11) g g(-1) (30 ppt). Furthermore, the results of the determination of I-129/I-127 isotope ratios at the 10(-5)-10(-6) level in synthetic laboratory standards and environmental soil samples from contaminated areas are given.