Mass spectral database for TOF-SIMS of stable isotopes of Sr and Zr

Abstract

Nuclear accidents (e.g., at the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants) release considerable amounts of radioactive pollutants into the environment. Radioactive particles in dust and soil can range from a few micrometers to several micrometers in size. Detection of these micrometer-sized particles requires a fast and effective analytical method. Because time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) exhibits high spatial resolution and parallel detection capability, it is suitable for analyzing micrometer-sized radioactive particles. However, due to isobaric interferences, TOF-SIMS cannot effectively distinguish between isobaric elements such as 90Sr and 90Zr. Resonant ionization sputtered neutral mass spectrometry (R-SNMS) eliminates isobaric interferences and enables the measurement of isotope ratios of isotopes approaching the detection limit. However, R-SNMS cannot be performed independently because its results are based on the TOF-SIMS spectra. This study provides a database of reference spectra for Sr and Zr stable isotopes, which can act as important reference for further analysis of radioactive particles in environmental samples.