Characterization of a new candidate isotopic reference material for natural Pb using primary measurement method.

A lead isotopic standard solution with natural abundance has been developed by applying a mixture of a solution of enriched Pb and a solution of enriched Pb (Pb-Pb double spike solution) as bracketing method. The amount-of-substance ratio of Pb:Pb in this solution is accurately measured by applying EDTA titrimetry, which is one of the primary measurement methods, to each enriched Pb isotope solution. Also metal impurities affecting EDTA titration and minor lead isotopes contained in each enriched Pb isotope solution are quantified by ICP-SF-MS. The amount-of-substance ratio of Pb:Pb in the Pb-Pb double spike solution is 0.961959 ± 0.000056 (combined standard uncertainty; k = 1). Both the measurement of lead isotope ratios in a candidate isotopic standard solution and the correction of mass discrimination in MC-ICP-MS are carried out by coupling of a bracketing method with the Pb-Pb double spike solution and a thallium internal addition method, where thallium solution is added to the standard and the sample. The measured lead isotope ratios and their expanded uncertainties (k = 2) in the candidate isotopic standard solution are 18.0900 ± 0.0046 for Pb:Pb, 15.6278 ± 0.0036 for Pb:Pb, 38.0626 ± 0.0089 for Pb:Pb, 2.104406 ± 0.00013 for Pb:Pb, and 0.863888 ± 0.000036 for Pb:Pb. The expanded uncertainties are about one half of the stated uncertainty for NIST SRM 981, for Pb:Pb, Pb:Pb and Pb:Pb, or one eighth, for Pb:Pb and Pb:Pb, The combined uncertainty consists of the uncertainties due to lead isotope ratio measurements and the remaining time-drift effect of mass discrimination in MC-ICP-MS, which is not removed by the coupled correction method. In the measurement of Pb:Pb, Pb:Pb and Pb:Pb, the latter contribution is two or three times larger than the former. When the coupling of a bracketing method with the Pb-Pb double spike solution and a thallium internal addition method is applied to the analysis of NIST SRM 981, the measured lead isotope ratios are in good agreement with its certified values. This proves that the developed method is not only consistent with the conventional one by NIST SRM 981 but also enables measurement of the lead isotope ratios with higher precision.