Determination of natural isotopic variation in antimony using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for an uncertainty estimation of the standard atomic weight of antimony

Abstract

The isotopic variation of industrially produced antimony was estimated using multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A reproducible 123Sb/121Sb ratio of ±0.004% (2 standard deviations) was routinely obtained using a Sn doping mass discrimination correction technique. Only a small isotopic variation of about 0.05% was observed among industrially important Sb materials (five commercially available reagents and two ore minerals). The degree of Sb isotopic variation to determine the uncertainty in Sb atomic weight can be reduced by this new analytical technique to 0.00025 compared to the currently accepted IUPAC isotopic variation determined by conventional mass spectrometry of ±0.001. Heavy isotope enrichment of Sb in a drainage water sample from a stibnite mining area was found. This heavy isotope enrichment tendency in an aqueous environment may be useful in detecting anthropogenic Sb input from industrial emission by the smelting process via air because Sb of anthropogenic origin will have lighter isotope enrichment features.