Accelerator mass spectrometry: ultra-sensitive analysis for global science

Abstract

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is the analytical technique of choice for the detection of long-lived radionuclides that cannot be practically analysed with decay counting or conventional mass spectrometry. AMS has been used for the analysis of 14C, 10Be, 36Cl and other cosmogenic radionuclides in archaeology, geology and environmental science. In addition, the ultrasensitivity of AMS is being applied in biomedicine to study the exposure of human tissues to chemicals and biomolecules at attomole levels. AMS is also being considered for the detection of anthropogenic radionuclides, such as 129I and 236U, in environmental samples for the verification of the nuclear non-proliferation agreements. The state of the art of AMS is reviewed with examples from some recent applications. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.