Determination of fission product ruthenium by isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Isotope dilution mass spectrometry using enriched isotope⁹⁶Ru as a spike was applied to the determination of ruthenium as a fission product. Ruthenium in the solution was oxidized to RuO₄ by Ce/IV/ and separated from coexisting metal elements by distillation. Silica-gel technique was employed to enhance ion current of ruthenium in the mass spectrometric measurement. The lower detection limit was 0.005 g ml^–1 and the relative standard deviations /n=3/ for 1.2 and 0.05 g ml^–1 of ruthenium were 0.2 and 0.5%, respectively.