A rapid sequential separation of actinides and radiostrontium coupled to ICP-MS and gas proportional counting

A new protocol designed for the rapid determination of U, Th, Pu, Np, Am and Sr in up to 500 mL of river water samples has been developed. The new method employs chromatographic separation, using TEVA, TRU and Sr resins, coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and to a gas proportional counting (GPC). Excellent figures of merit characterized by recoveries and accuracies exceeding 80 and 90 %, respectively and detection limits below emergency thresholds are obtained. The new GPC methodology for the quantification of radiostrontium led to accurate results even with activity ratios (A89Sr/A90Sr) as high as 95.