Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) Analysis of Nanomaterials for Use in Nuclear and Material Applications

This article outlines the progress made at the United Kingdom's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for nanomaterial research using three case studies. First, we examine the measurement of metal impurities in graphene as part of the development of international standards. Then, we assess the uranium uptake of graphene oxide (GO) to optimize functionalization of the material for decontamination of aqueous nuclear waste. Finally, we establish the uptake mechanism of different cell and nanoparticle (NP) types to optimize radiation dosimetry assessments. Further advancements made in ICP-MS analysis to characterize single-particles (SP-ICP-MS) are also discussed with recommendations for future work.
The widespread use of nanomaterials has shown significant benefits in the areas of sensors, nuclear waste treatment, and nuclear medicine. This is evident because of the increasing number of publications [...]