Determination of Li by Isotope Dilution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry combined with the isotope dilution method is used for the determination of lithium. The isotope dilution method is based on the addition of a known amount of enriched isotope (spike) to a sample. The analyte concentration is obtained by measuring the altered isotope ratio. The spike solution is calibrated through so called reverse isotope dilution with a primary standard. The spike calibration is an important step to minimize error in the determined concentration. It has been found essential to add spike to a sample and the primary standard so that the two isotope ratios should be as dose as possible. Since lithium is neither corrosive nor toxic, lithium is used as a chemical tracer in the nuclear power plants to measure feedwater flow rate. 99.9% $^7Li$ was injected into a feedwater line of an experimental system and sample were taken downstream to be spiked with 95% $^6Li$ for the isotope dilution measurements. Effects of uncertainties in the spike enrichment and isotope ratio measurement error at various spike-to-sample ratios are presented together with the flow rate measurement results in comparison with a vortex flow meter.