ISOTOPIC MEASUREMENTS OF PALLADIUM METAL CONTAINING PROTIUM AND DEUTERIUM BY GLOW-DISCHARGE MASS-SPECTROMETRY

A glow discharge mass spectrometer was used for making isotopic measurements of palladium in samples that had been charged electrolytically with protium and deuterium. The accuracy of the measured isotopic abundances was adversely affected by interferences from molecular ion species containing palladium bound to one or more protium or deuterium atoms. The details of this molecular ion formation process were studied by comparing mass spectra from samples prepared under various conditions. This study demonstrates an as yet unexploited capability of glow discharge mass spectrometry for making isotope ratio measurements with precision better than 0.1% RSD. The high mass resolution capability of this instrument was also used to investigate the effects of hydride ion interference.