Laser ablation assisted ICP-MS as a tool for rapid categorization of seized uranium oxide materials based on isotopic composition determination

The paper describes an analytical method for rapid categorization of nuclear forensic evidence based on uranium isotopic composition. The investigation of uranium-based nuclear materials seized in Hungary was carried out by inductively coupled plasma sector-field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) applying laser ablation (LA) for sample introduction. The results obtained by the LA-ICP-SFMS method were compared with independent analytical techniques. The advantage and limitations of the method are discussed.