Aplicación de un método de separación química y de la espectrometría de masa para la determinación de radio-226 en aguas superficiales.

Radium-226 (226Ra) is a naturally occurring radionuclide, alpha emitter with half-life of 1 622 years originating from uranium-238 (238U). Its presence in drinking water is a major radiological hazards, which requires constant monitoring. The analytical techniques used in the determination of 226Ra generally require the stablishment of secular equilibrium and/or tedious separation of other elements. The main objetive of this paper is to demonstrate the efficiency and speed of a method of preconcentration and separation of 226Ra in natural water samples using coprecipitation with MnO2 radius and purification by cation exchange resin Dowex 50WX8. Measurement technique was Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry and associated induced plasma ICP-Q-MS. The 226Ra values obtained are in the range of 0,010-0,219 pg/L in natural waters analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]