Determination of neptunium in a reprocessing plant by an on-line solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

In this study, a flow-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of neptunium in the presence of Pu(IV). Np(V) in the sample solution was completely oxidized to Np(VI) via electrolysis using a column electrode composed of carbon fibers. The column electrode effluent was then loaded onto a TEVA^® column, and subsequently onto a UTEVA^® column using 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Pu(IV) was retained on the TEVA column and separated from Np(VI), while Np(VI) was retained on the UTEVA column. Np(VI) was eluted from the UTEVA column with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and then introduced directly into a flow-through electrolysis cell. An electrochemical amperometric method with a working potential of +0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was used to detect Np(VI). The current produced due to the reduction of Np(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded, and the Np concentration was calculated from the peak area. The relative standard deviation of 10 analyses was 2.4 % for an Np solution (0.50 mg L^?1) containing 1.0 μg Np. The detection limit, which was determined to be three times the standard deviation, was 35 μg L^?1 (70 ng Np).     

Determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants by flow injection-based solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

A flow injection-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants. The oxidation state of plutonium in a sample solution was adjusted to Pu(VI) by the addition of silver(II) oxide. A sample solution was made up in 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and loaded onto a column packed with UTEVA^® with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ as the carrier. Plutonium(VI) was adsorbed onto the resin, and interfering elements were removed by rinsing the column with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Subsequently, the adsorbed Pu(VI) was eluted with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃, and then introduced directly into the flow-through electrolysis cell with boron-doped diamond electrode. The eluted Pu(VI) was detected by an electrochemical amperometric method at a working potential of 0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The current produced on reduction of Pu(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded. The plutonium concentration was calculated from the relationship between the peak area and concentration of plutonium. The relative standard deviation of ten analyses was 1.1% for a plutonium solution of 25 μg L^?1 containing 50 ng of Pu. The detection limit calculated from three-times the standard deviation was 0.82 μg L^?1 (1.6 ng of Pu).     

Pu and Am sorption to the Baltic Sea bottom sediments

Sorption of Am and Pu isotopes to bottom sediments of the Baltic Sea has been studied under natural and laboratory conditions. Data obtained from sequential extraction, sorption of Am(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(V) as well as oxidation state distribution experiments have shown that Pu(V) sorption mechanism includes a very fast Pu(V) reduction (reaction rate ≤ 2.33 × 10^?3 s^?1) to Pu(IV) by humic substances and/or by Fe(II) to Pu(IV) and partly to Pu(III). Following reduction Pu isotopes were bound to various components of bottom sediments via ion exchange and surface complexation reactions and a slow incorporation into the crystalline structure of Fe minerals. Kinetics experiments showed that the sorption of Pu(V), Pu(IV) and Am(III) to bottom sediments from natural seawater was controlled by the inert layer diffusion process.     

Modeling Speciation and Solubility in Aqueous Systems Containing U(IV,VI), Np(IV,V, VI), Pu(III,IV, V,VI), Am(III), and Cm(III)

A comprehensive thermodynamic model, referred to as the Mixed-Solvent Electrolyte model, has been applied to calculate phase equilibria and chemical speciation in selected aqueous actinide systems. The solution chemistry of U(IV, VI), Np(IV, V, VI), Pu(III, IV, V, VI), Am(III), and Cm(III) has been analyzed to develop the parameters of the model. These parameters include the standard-state thermochemical properties of aqueous and solid actinide species as well as the ion interaction parameters that reflect the solution’s nonideality. The model reproduces the solubility behavior and accurately predicts the formation of competing solid phases as a function of pH (from 0 to 14 and higher), temperature (up to 573 K), partial pressure of CO₂ (up to \( p_{{{\text{CO}}_{2} }} \)  = 1 bar), and concentrations of acids (to 127 mol·kg^?1), bases (to 18 mol·kg^?1), carbonates (to 6 mol·kg^?1) and other ionic components (i.e., Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, OH^?, Cl^?, \( {\text{ClO}}_{4}^{ - } \), and \( {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } \)). Redox effects on solubility and speciation have been incorporated into the model, as exemplified by the reductive and oxidative dissolution of Np(VI) and Pu(IV) solids, respectively. Thus, the model can be used to elucidate the phase and chemical equilibria for radionuclides in natural aquatic systems or in nuclear waste repository environments as a function of environmental conditions. Additionally, the model has been applied to systems relevant to nuclear fuel processing, in which nitric acid and nitrate salts of plutonium and uranium are present at high concentrations. The model reproduces speciation and solubility in the U(VI) + HNO₃ + H₂O and Pu(IV, VI) + HNO₃ + H₂O systems up to very high nitric acid concentrations (\( x_{{{\text{HNO}}_{3} }} \approx 0.70 \)). Furthermore, the similarities and differences in the solubility behavior of the actinides have been analyzed in terms of aqueous speciation.     

Evaluation of Vanadium(IV) as a Non-radioactive Surrogate for Technetium(IV) by Comparison of Stability Constants for Polyamino Polycarboxylate Ligand Complexation

The stability constants for the Tc(IV) and V(IV) complexation with the polyamino polycarboxylate ligands IDA, NTA, HEDTA and DTPA were determined using liquid–liquid extraction techniques. These stability constants were then used to evaluate the validity of using V(IV) as a chemical analogue for Tc(IV). Results suggest that Tc(IV), as TcOOH⁺, will form β _1?11 complexes with the selected ligands, while V(IV), as VO²⁺, will form β ₁₀₁ complexes. The values for these determined stability constants are (in log₁₀ unit) 10.9 ± 0.1, 11.4 ± 0.1, 14.9 ± 0.1, and 20.1 ± 0.1 for Tc(IV) in 0.5 mol·L^?1 NaCl at 25 °C, for IDA, NTA, HEDTA and DTPA, respectively, they are 9.3 ± 0.1, 11.6 ± 0.2, 15.8 ± 0.1, and 20.8 ± 0.1 for V(IV) in 0.5 mol·L^?1 NaCl at 25 °C, for the same suite of ligands. The incorporation of a hydroxide into the metal ligand complexes formed by Tc(IV) is proposed as the largest factor differentiating the apparent stability constants of Tc(IV) and V(IV). This work shows that V(IV) is a poor analog for Tc(IV); however, despite the differences in complexation mechanism between V(IV) and Tc(IV), V(IV) still appears to have some use for predicting Tc(IV) complexation behavior.     

Removal of environmental level of 239+240Pu and 241Am from groundwater by using humic coated colloidal suspension of goethite (α-FeO(OH))

In case of natural catastrophic nuclear accident scenario like Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Fukushima, Japan (11 March 2011) and industrial nuclear accidents like Chernobyl, USSR (March 1986), thousands of curies of activity goes in the public domain and contaminate the drinking water system in the area around the accidental zone. In view of this there is a need to evolve methodology for decontamination of the drinking water without compromising the drinking water quality. During this work humic coated colloidal suspension of geothite(α-FeO(OH)) followed by ultrafiltration were used to decontaminate the water having ^239+240Pu and ²⁴¹Am in the concentration range of 10–100 Bq L^?1. Polydispersive colloids of goethite were generated by controlled oxidation of FeSO₄ in the presence of NaOH. Size characterization, morphology and elemental profiling of goethite suspension and their aggregation with increase in the concentration of humic acid was studied by using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscope hyphenated with energy dispersive spectrometry. Experimental results clearly indicate preferential association of Pu and Am with goethite suspension dominated with 30 nm colloids. The impact of humus material on selectivity of Pu and Am by goethite was studied in the concentration range of 10–100 μg mL^?1 of humic acid. This selectivity is further enhanced linearly with the increase in concentration humic acid from 10 to 60 μg mL^?1 and thereafter it remains constant. Goethite suspension having a coating of 60 μg mL^?1 of humic acid was successfully utilized to decontaminate the water. Goethite suspension was separated from the groundwater using Ultra filtration cell with membrane having 500 NMWL (nominal molecular weight limit).     

Voltammetric determination of 17α-ethinylestradiol hormone in supply dam using BDD electrode

In this work, a simple method for electroanalytical determination of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) hormone in natural waters was developed using a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD). The analyses were performed using square wave voltammetry and the parameters were optimized. The results showed a well-defined irreversible oxidation peak (BR buffer 0.1 mol L^?1, pH 8.0) at +0.65 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The voltammetric results showed also that the oxidation process is controlled by adsorption of species and indicated that there are two electrons involved. The obtained analytical curves for 17α-ethinylestradiol presented good linearity in the concentration range 9.9?×?10^?7 to 5.2?×?10^?6 mol L^?1 in utlrapure water and 7.9?×?10^?7 to 5.2?×?10^?6 mol L^?1 in natural water samples (supply dam). Detection limits (DL) obtained were between 2.4?×?10^?7 and 7.5?×?10^?7 mol L^?1 and quantification limits (QL) between 7.9?×?10^?7 and 2.5?×?10^?6 mol L^?1. The recovery experiments showed values between 86 and 114 % for spiked samples thus indicating the applicability of the electroanalytical methodology to quantify 17α-ethinylestradiol directly in natural water of supply Dam (Billings Dam in Diadema-SP. Brazil), without any preconcentration or derivatization.     

A Direct Chemiluminescence Method for the Determination of Prulifloxacin Using Tris-(4,7-Diphenyl-1,10-Phenanthrolinedisulfonic Acid) Ruthenium(II)–Cerium(IV) System

Abstract

A simple, rapid, injection chemiluminescence method is described for the determination of prulifloxacin, a commonly used antibiotic. A strong chemiluminescence signal was detected when a mixture of the analyte and tris-(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolinedisulfonic acid)ruthenium(II) was injected into cerium(IV) sulfate. The chemiluminescence signal is proportional to the concentration of prulifloxacin in the range 4.0 × 10^?8–9.0 × 10^?6 mol L^?1. The detection limit is 1.0 × 10^?8 mol L^?1, and the relative standard deviation is 2.2% (n = 11) for the determination of 8.0 × 10^?7 mol L^?1 prulifloxacin. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of prulifloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations in capsules, spiked serum, and urine samples.     

Selective Spectrofluorimetric Method and Uncertainty Calculation for the Determination of Camptothecin in the Presence of Irinotecan and Topotecan

A selective fluorimetric method was developed to quantify camptothecin (CPT) in irinotecan (CPT-11) and in topotecan (TPT) based anti-cancer drugs. Selectivity was achieved by experimental optimization and using synchronized scanning and second-order spectral derivatization. The limits of quantification for CPT were in the order of 1 × 10^?7 mol L^?1 with a linear response up to 1 × 10^?5 mol L^?1. The combined uncertainty associated with the CPT fluorescence measurement at a 5 × 10^?7 mol L^?1 level were 10.9% and 6% of the reference level, respectively, for TPT and CPT-11 based pharmaceutical formulations. The CPT recoveries of 95 ± 12% and 91 ± 5.6% (n = 3) were achieved, respectively, in samples containing CPT-11 and TPT.     

Flow Injection Spectrophotometric Determination of N-Acetylcysteine and Captopril Employing Prussian Blue Generation Reaction

A novel flow injection procedure to determine N-acetylcysteine and captopril in pharmaceutical formulations is proposed. The flow procedure developed was based on oxidation of the analytes by Fe(III) in acidic medium and subsequent reaction of the Fe(II) generated with excess hexacyanoferrate(III) to produce soluble Prussian blue (KFe[Fe(CN)₆]) measured at 700 nm. Detection limits of 1.0 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 and 3.0 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 for N-acetylcysteine and captopril, respectively, were found. The sample throughput was 70 h^?1 for both analytes and the results obtained were in agreement at a 95% confidence level with those obtained using reference methods.     

A novel Np–Pu separation procedure based on extraction with di-(chlorophenyl)-dithiophosphinic acid in nitric solution

The extraction behavior of Pu(III), Pu(IV), Np(IV) and Np(V) with di(chlorophenyl)-dithiophosphinic acid (DCPDTPA) in toluene from nitric acid solutions was studied systematically. In aqueous solution with high nitric acid concentration, the extraction capability (represented by distribution ratio D) for Pu and Np in different valences with DCPDTPA comes as D _Np(IV) > D _Pu(IV) > D _Np(V) > D _Pu(III). A new radiochemical procedure for Np/Pu separation based on DCPDTPA extraction was proposed and tested with simulated samples. The recoveries of Np and Pu are as high as 80 % after the whole separation procedure, with the decontamination factor of trivalent lanthanide fission product element (e.g. Eu) greater than 1.5 × 10⁴. The decontamination factor of Pu–Np is 2.0 × 10³, while the decontamination factor of Np–Pu is greater than 4.8 × 10³ after additional purification.     

Determination of ultratrace amounts of plutonium in high saline groundwater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

For determination of ultratrace amounts of plutonium in high saline groundwater, large-volume sampling and preconcentration are necessary. However, traditional co-precipitation methods, such as Fe(OH)₃, Ca(OH)₂–Mg(OH)₂ and hydroxide-carbonate co-precipitation, are unable to meet the requirements of preconcentration of the ultratrace plutonium in high saline groundwater. In this paper, the ultratrace plutonium in high saline groundwater was concentrated by sequential co-precipitation with MnO₂ and Fe(OH)₃, and purified by two-stage anion-exchange separation on Dowex1 × 4 resin column. Quadrupole ICP-MS was employed for the determination of ²³⁹Pu with ²⁴²Pu spiked. After co-precipitation and purification, the major matrix elements were significantly decreased to μg mL^?1 level and decontamination factor of uranium is better than 10⁶. The detection limit for ²³⁹Pu in 50 L high saline water is 2.1 × 10^?16 g L^?1. Three high saline fountain samples (total dissolved solids more than 20 g L^?1) from Dunhuang region of China were analyzed using this method. The concentrations of ²³⁹Pu in these samples were 0.48 ± 0.2 × 10^?15, 1.40 ± 0.10 × 10^?15 and 2.13 ± 0.21 × 10^?15 g L^?1 respectively. The recovery obtained for 7 pg of ²⁴²Pu spiked into real high saline-water samples was all above 70 %.     

A Flow Injection Chemiluminescence Method for the Determination of Protein Using Copper(II)-Alizarin Red S Complex as an Efficient Chemiluminescent Probe

A sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence (CL) method is proposed for the determination of bovine serum albumin (BSA) using Copper(II)-Alizarin Red S (ARS) complex as an efficient chemiluminescent probe. The detection is based on the binding of the copper(II)-ARS complex to proteins and the catalytic activity of copper(II)-ARS in the luminol-H₂O₂ CL system. Under the selected conditions, the CL intensity is linear with the concentration of BSA in the range of 5.0 × 10^?11 to 1.0 × 10^?9 mol · L^?1. The detection limit was 2.0 × 10^?11 mol · L^?1. The method is successfully applied to the determination of protein in urine.     

Highly Sensitive Flow-Injection Chemiluminescence Detection of Carbonyl Compounds in Wine Samples

A modified Trautz–Schorigin reaction, by using tannic acid-H₂O₂ system for the oxidation and determination of two kinds of carbonyl compounds was developed in this paper. It was found that formaldehyde and acetaldehyde could effectively enhance the chemiluminescence signals of tannic acid–H₂O₂ system in alkaline medium. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method has a linear range of 7 × 10^?9–1 × 10^?4 mol L^?1 for formaldehyde and 1 × 10^?8–1 × 10^?4 mol L^?1 for acetaldehyde with detection limits of 9 × 10^?11 and 3 × 10^?10 mol L^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviations for 15 repeated measurements of 1 × 10^?6 mol L^?1 HCHO and CH₃CHO are 1.13% and 1.65%, respectively. Analysis time per sample is 35 seconds. A comparison of results found by the proposed method with those obtained by a standard reference method provided good agreement. The proposed method is simple, rapid, convenient, and sensitive.     

Selenium-coated carbon electrode for anodic stripping voltammetric determination of copper(II)

We describe a new and promising type of selenium film electrode for anodic stripping voltammetry. This method is based on formation of copper selenide onto an in-situ formed selenium-film carbon electrode, this followed by Osteryoung square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry. Copper(II) is also in-situ electroplated in a test solution containing 0.01 mol L^-1 hydrochloric acid, 0.05 mol L^?1 potassium chloride and 500 µg L^?1 Se(IV) at a deposition potential of ?300 mV. The well-defined anodic peak current observed at about 200 mV is directly proportional to the Cu(II) concentration over the range from 1.0 to 100 µg L^?1 under the optimized conditions. The detection limit (three sigma level) is 0.2 µg L^?1 Cu(II) at 180 s deposition time. Relatively less interferences are shown from most of metal ions except for antimony(III). The method can be applied to analyses of river water and oyster tissue with good accuracy.     

Sensitive detection of sulfanilamide by redox process electroanalysis of oxidation products formed in situ on glassy carbon electrode

This paper reported a simple method for sulfanilamide determination by redox process electroanalysis of oxidation products (SFDox) formed in situ on glassy carbon electrode. The CV experiments showed a reversible process after applied E _acc = + 1.06 V and t _acc = 1 s, in 0.1 mol L^?1 BRBS (pH = 2.0) at 50 mV s^?1. Different voltammetric scan rates (from 10 to 450 mV s^?1) suggested that the redox peaks of SFDox on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is an adsorption-controlled process. Square-wave voltammetry (SWV) method optimized conditions showed a linear response to SFD from 3.00 to 250.0 μmol L^?1 (R = 0.998) with a limit of detection of 0.638 μmol L^?1 and limit of quantification of 2.0 μmol L^?1. The developed the SWV method was successfully used in the determination of SFD pharmaceutical formulation and human serum. The SFD quantification results in pharmaceutical obtained by SWV-GCE were comparable to those found by official analytical protocols.     

Stripping voltammetry method for determination of manganese as complex with oxine at the carbon paste electrode with and without modification with montmorillonite clay

Oxine (8-hydroxyquinoline) was used as an efficient and selective ligand for stripping voltammetry trace determination of Mn(II). A validated square-wave adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry method has been developed for determination of Mn(II) selectively as oxine complex using both the bare carbon paste electrode (CPE) and the modified CPE with 7 % (w/w) montmorillonite-Na clay. Modification of carbon paste with montmorillonite clay was found to greatly enhance its adsorption capacity. Limits of detection of 45 ng l^?1 (8.19?×?10^?10 mol L^?1) and 1.8 ng l^?1 (3.28?×?10^?11 mol L^?1) Mn(II) were achieved using the bare and modified CP electrodes, respectively. The achieved limits of detection of Mn(II) as oxine complex using the modified CPE are much sensitive than the detection limits obtained by most of the reported electrochemical methods. The developed stripping voltammetry method using both electrodes was successfully applied for trace determination of Mn(II) in various water samples without interferences from various organic and inorganic species.     

Simultaneous Analysis of Sugars and Polyphenols in Tobacco by CZE with Amperometric Detection Based on a Cu2O/MWCNT-COOH Composite Electrode

A composite electrode was fabricated from Cu₂O powder, carboxyl-functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH), and paraffin oil in the proportions 51:17:32 (w/w). This composite electrode was used for amperometric detection (CZE–AD) in simultaneous capillary zone electrophoretic analysis of chlorogenic acid, rutin, sucrose, glucose, mannose, and fructose in tobacco samples. Under the optimum conditions, the six analytes could be separated in 100 mmol L^?1 NaOH buffer within 30 min. Good linearity was achieved in the range 1 × 10^?7–1 × 10^?4 mol L^?1 for the two polyphenols and 5 × 10^?6–1 × 10^?3 mol L^?1 for the four sugars. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for the polyphenols and sugars were as low as 10^?8 mol L^?1 and 10^?6 mol L^?1, respectively.     

The electrodeposition of Zn-Ti alloys from ZnCl2-urea deep eutectic solvent

The electrochemical behavior of Ti(IV) and the electrodeposition of Zn-Ti alloys were investigated in a ZnCl₂-urea (1:3 molar ratio) deep eutectic solvent containing 0.27 mol L^?1 TiCl₄. The electrochemical reduction of Ti(IV) to Ti was complicated by the formation of intermediate oxidation states of Ti(III) and Ti(II), as well as the precipitation of TiCl₃. It was possible to prepare Zn-Ti alloys containing 5.8–16.7 at.% Ti. The composition and surface morphology of Zn-Ti alloys depended on deposition potential and temperature. The deposits could be indexed to a disordered hexagonal close-packed structure similar to pure Zn and were completely chloride-free. The current efficiency for the deposition of Zn-Ti alloys varied from 38.4 to 67.9 %.     

Simple and fast voltammetric procedure of U(VI) determination in the presence of high concentrations of surface active substances

In this work, a simple and fast procedure for elimination of interfering surface active substances and for U(VI) adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination was developed. The adsorption in the form of U(VI)-cupferron complexes was performed, because as it was proved before, U(VI) forms with cupferron stable complexes, which were employed in voltammetric procedures. The procedure is based on two steps: the first is an adsorption of surface active substances onto an Amberlite XAD-16 or XAD-7 resin and the second is a voltammetric determination of U(VI) with a pulsed potential of accumulation alternate –0.65–0.3 V with the frequency of 0.5 Hz and then the differential pulse voltammogram was recorded, whereas the potential was scanned from –0.65 to –1.2 V. The detection limit estimated from three times the standard deviation for a low U(VI) concentrations was equal to 1.7 × 10^?10 mol L^?1 (7.2 × 10^?8 g L^?1). The linear range of U(VI) was observed over the concentration range from 5.0 × 10^?10 mol L^?1 (2.1 × 10^?7 g L^?1) to 2.0 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 (8.5 × 10^?6 g L^?1) for an accumulation time of 60 s. The influence of different kinds of surfactants, such as non-ionic, cationic and anionic on the uranium voltammetric signal was studied. The results confirm the possibility of U(VI) determination in water samples containing high concentrations of surface active substances even up to 50 mg L^?1.