This International Standard specifies a procedure for the determination of trace impurities in uranium- or plutonium-based, or mixed uranium- and plutonium-based, materials by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It provides both guidelines and specific options for the determination of an element or group of elements.

It is applicable to solutions such as uranyl or plutonium nitrate, solids such as the oxides and to mixed actinide materials such as unirradiated mixed oxide material in either solid or dissolved forms. It is not directly suitable for the analysis of uranium or plutonium matrices containing significant quantities of other elements such as uranium–gadolinium mixtures. It may nevertheless form the basis of a process for analysing this type of matrix, provided that the impact of the gadolinium component is ascertained.