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Agilent Technologies Develops Method to Quickly and Accurately Measure Radioactive Elements Using ICP-MS

^{Published on 2011-06-14 08:10:57 - Market Wire}
 

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced it has developed a new method to identify radioactive iodine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method will first be used by Gakushuin University in Japan, with a donated [ Agilent 7700 ICP-MS System ].

"Monitoring its levels will be important for the safety assessment of radioiodine deposited in the environment."

Testing will be performed in the lab of Dr. Yasuyuki Muramatsu, a renowned expert on radiation in the environment. Dr. Muramatsu, a professor in the universitya™s chemistry department, was recently appointed by the Fukushima Prefecture to assess the effect of radiation on local farms after the areaa™s nuclear power plant was damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Dr. Muramatsua™s lab measures ultra-trace levels of radioactive elements, including iodine isotopes 129, 131 and 127, as well as trace elements such as Cs and Sr, which are relevant to radioisotopes released from the reactor into the environment.

aRadioactive iodine-129 is of particular interest because of its long half-life,a said Dr. Muramatsu. aMonitoring its levels will be important for the safety assessment of radioiodine deposited in the environment.a

This nuclide is released continuously into the environment as a result of activities such as nuclear weapons tests, accidents at nuclear power plants and emissions from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plants.

aThe application requires a high-energy oxygen collision/reaction cell step made possible on the Agilent 7700 ICP-MS,a said Ken Suzuki, ICP-MS marketing manager at Agilent. aWhile there are other measurement techniques and instruments, including other ICP-MS systems, we believe the measurement of ¹²⁹I using our method is the fastest, most accurate and lowest-cost.a

Since the earthquake on March 11, Agilent and the Agilent Technologies Foundation have contributed over $850,000 in donations and equipment to help with the disaster response.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the worlda™s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The companya™s 18,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.4 billion in fiscal 2010. Information about Agilent is available at [ www.agilent.com ].

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