Determination of rare earth elements, thorium and uranium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and strontium isotopes by thermal ionization mass spectrometry in soil samples of Bryansk region contaminated due to Chernobyl accident

The present paper describes the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr ic (ICP-MS) determination of rare earth elements (REEs), thorium and uraniu m in forest. pasture. field and kitchen garden soils from a Russian territo ry and in certified reference materials (JLK-1, JSD-2 and BCR-1). In additi on to concentration data. strontium isotopic composition of the soil sample s were measured by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The measurements c ontributed to the understanding of the background levels of these elements in an area contaminated due to Chernobyl accident. There was not a signific ant variation in the concentration of REEs at different depth levels in for est soil samples, however, the ratio of Th/U varied from 3.32 to 3.60. Thou gh concentration of U and Th varied to some extent, the ratio did not show much variation. The value of Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio, was in the top layer soil s ample relatively higher than in the lower layers.