Determination of ultra traces amount of uranium in raffinates of Purex process by laser fluorimetry

A simple and rapid, laser fluorimetric method for the determination of uranium concentration in raffinate stream of Purex process during reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel has been developed. It works on the principle of detection of fluorescence of uranyl complex formed by using fluorescence enhancing reagent like sodium pyrophosphate. The uranium concentration was determined in the range of 0–40 ppb and detection limit of 0.2 ppb. The optimum time discrimination is obtained when the uranyl ion is complexed with sodium pyrophosphate. Need of preconcentration step or separation of uranium from interfering elements is not an essential step.     

Electroreduction of uranium (VI) at a platinum electrode and its analytical applications

Under normal conditions, the reduction of uranium(VI) at a platinum electrode, in acid solutions, is masked by the reduction of the hydrogen ion. If the working electrode is subjected to hydrogen evolution (at a current density of about 7 A cm (2) for 90-120 min) the H(ads) on the platinum surface, acting as a bridge in the electron transfer, shifts the reduction wave of uranium(VI), in 1M sulphuric acid solutions, to potentials (E(1 2 ) congruent with - 0.03 V) less negative than that of the hydrogen discharge (about -0.25 V). The wave corresponding to the reduction of uranium(VI) to uranium(IV) is well shaped, diffusion-controlled, and can be used for the determination of uranium down to 2 x 10(-5)M or 3 x 10(-6)M if a rotating electrode is used. Interferences arise from those ions with similar E(1 2 ) [i.e., Cu(II) and Bi(III)], or from those such as permanganate and dichromate, which oxidize the H(ads) on the platinum electrode. Because of the time required for the electrode pretreatment, the determination is time-consuming but in some respects it appears a useful improvement over the DME.     

Determination of uranium in wet phosphoric acid

A method for quantitative determination of uranium in wet phosphoric acid containing 0.001-0.02% of uranium has been developed. After reduction with Fe or FeSO(4) . H(2)O, uranium(IV) is extracted with a kerosene solution of an equimolar mixture of mono- and dinonylphenylphosphoric acids. The uranium is stripped with an oxidizing medium consisting of 10M H(3)PO(4) containing NaClO(3). The uranium stripped is determined spectrophotometrically with Arsenazo III.     

Preconcentration and determination of uranyl ions on electrodes modified by tri-n-octylphosphine oxide

The application of electrodes modified by tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) to the determination of uranium in aqueous solutions is investigated. Selective preconcentration of uranium(VI) by chemical reaction with the modifying molecule is followed by cyclic voltammetry. A hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) can be modified easily but the reproducibility of results is not good. When a TOPO-modified glassy carbon electrode is used, uranium(VI) can be preconcentrated from stirred solutions, and the cathodic voltammograms show an increase of current or a peak at about -0.75 V vs. SCE, depending on the uranium concentration of the solution. The effects of preconcentration time, pH and electrode potential during the preconcentration are discussed. The detection limit is in the 10^-9 M range for 45 min of preconcentration. The procedure is fairly selective for uranyl ions, but oxidizing agents interfere. Some tests on sea water are reported.     

Molecular octopus: octa functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene-hydroxamic acid [C4RAHA] for selective extraction, separation and preconcentration of U(VI)

A solvent extraction separation of uranium, in the presence of thorium, cerium and lanthanides with a new calix[4]resorcinarene bearing eight hydroxamic acid groups (C4RAHA) is described. Quantitative extraction of uranium is possible in ethyl acetate solution of C4RAHA at pH 8.0. The lambda(max) and molar absorptivity (varepsilon) for uranium is 356nm and 8352Lmol(-1)cm(-1). The Binding ratio of uranium with C4RAHA as evaluated by Job's method is 4:1. The system obeys Beer's law over the range 0.075-6.0mugml(-1) of uranium with Sandell sensitivity 0.0284mugcm(-2). A preconcentration factor of 142 was achieved by directly aspirating the extract for GF-AAS measurements. The two-phase stability constant evaluated at 25 degrees C for uranium is 15.91. The complexation is characterized by favorable enthalpy and entropy changes. A liquid membrane transport study of uranium was carried out from source to the receiving phase under controlled conditions and a mechanism of transport is proposed. Uranium has been determined in standard and environmental samples.     

Spectrophotometric method for the direct determination of uranium in carbonate solution

Summary A spectrophotometric method for direct determination of uranium in carbonate solution has been developed. No extraction or decomposition steps are necessary. The highly sensitive (4-2-pyridylazo) resorcinol, as well as 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol, producing very stable uranium(VI) complexes, were used for its spectrophotometric determination.The usefulness of the proposed methods was examined by determination of uranium in real samples from a wet-process phosphoric acid estimation of uranium.     

Development of a colorimetric test for quantification of uranium in drinking water

A colorimetric method was developed for the determination of uranium in groundwater. The detection limit for the method is approximately 25 μg/L uranium, which is below the maximum contaminant level for uranium in drinking water, 30 μg/L. The method is rapid and requires little technical training to conduct, allowing it to be used by consumers, in the laboratory, or in the field. The two-step technique involves preconcentrating uranium using a U/TEVA-2 extraction chromatographic resin followed by complexation with a pyridylazo indicator dye, 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol. If color change is visible to the eye, the concentration of uranium in groundwater is above the detection limit. Preconcentration using U/TEVA-2 also serves to eliminate metals that may interfere with the quantification of uranium.     

Determination of uranium in minerals and rocks

A method is described for the determination of uranium in minerals and rocks by spectrophotometry and fluorimetry. After treatment of the sample with hydrochloric acid, uranium is separated from matrix elements by adsorption on a column of the strongly basic anion-exchange resin Dowex 1 x 8 from an organic solvent system consisting of IBMK, tetrahydrofuran and 12M hydrochloric acid (1:8:1 v v ). Following removal of iron, molybdenum and co-adsorbed elements by washing first with the organic solvent system and then with 6M hydrochloric acid, the uranium is eluted with 1M hydrochloric acid. In the eluate, uranium is determined by means of the spectrophotometric arsenazo III method or fluorimetrically. The suitability of the method for the determination of both trace and larger amounts of uranium was tested by analysing numerous geochemical reference samples with uranium contents in the range 10(-1)-10(4) ppm. In practically all cases very good agreement of results was obtained.     

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) with 2-(3,5-dibromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol in the presence of anionic surfactant

A highly sensitive method for spectrophotometric determination of uranium has been devised. The method is based on formation of a red-violet 1:2 (metal:ligand) complex from the reaction of uranium(VI) with 2-(3,5-dibromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (3,5-diBr-PADAP) in the presence of an anionic surfactant, sodium lauryl sulphate. Its molar absorptivity is found to be 9.1 x 10(4)l.mole(-1).cm(-1). The absorbance is constant in the range pH 8.4-9.9 Beer's law is obeyed for 0-1.4 mug/ml concentrations of uranium. In the presence of DCTA the method is selective for uranium, and can be used for the determination of trace amounts of uranium in water samples.     

Fluorimetric determination of uranium(VI) in waters by flow-injection analysis after preconcentration on a silica gel microcolumn

A method was developed for the selective determination of trace concentrations of uranium(VI) by flow-injection analysis (FIA) with fluorimetric detection. Uranium(VI) is selectively separated and/or pre-concentrated from a volume up to 20 ml on an activated silica gel microcolumn (2 x 40 mm) from a medium of 0.03M EDTA, 0.06M tartrate, and/or 0.05M NaF at pH = 9.3. After washing the column the uranium is eluted with a mixture of 1.33M sulphuric and phosphoric acids and determined with a relative standard deviation not exceeding 6% for concentrations in the range 10-250 mug/l. The detection limit was estimated to be 0.1-0.2 mug of uranium. The method has been verified on artificial water samples with high content of the interfering elements and applied to analysis of waste and natural waters.     

Precise titrimetric determination of uranium in high-purity uranium compounds

A procedure has been developed for the very precise determination of uranium in high-purity uranium compounds. Uranium(VI) is reduced in a strong hydrochloric acid solution with aluminium in the presence of cadmium ions to uranium(III). It is oxidised to uranium(IV) in the presence of excess orthophosphoric acid and then quantitatively oxidised to uranium(VI) with potassium dichromate using a potentiometric end-point detection. The coefficient of variation based on 20 analyses is -/+ 0.003%.     

Column chromatographic separation of uranium(VI) and other elements using poly(dibenzo-18-crown-6) and ascorbic acid medium

A selective and very effective separation method for uranium(VI) has been developed by using poly(dibenzo-18-crown-6) and column chromatography. The separations are carried out from ascorbic acid medium. The adsorption of uranium(VI) was quantitative from 0.00002 to 0.006 M ascorbic acid. The elution of uranium(VI) was quantitative with 2.0-8.0 M HCl and 2.0-5.0 M H2SO4. The capacity of poly(dibenzo-18-crown-6) for uranium(VI) was found to be 0.92 +/- 0.01 mmol g(-1) of crown polymer. Uranium(VI) was separated from a number of cations in binary as well as in multicomponent mixtures. The method was extended to the determination of uranium in geological samples. It is possible to separate and determine 5 ppm of uranium(VI) by this method. The method is very simple, rapid, selective and has good reproducibility (approximately +/- 2%).     

Indirect determination of uranium by the on-line reduction and fluorimetric detection of cerium(III).

A novel flow injection method has been developed for the indirect determination of uranium by the on-line reduction and subsequent fluorimetric detection of cerium(III). A sample solution containing uranium(VI), prepared as a sulfuric acid solution, was injected into a sulfuric acid carrier solution and passed through a column packed with metal bismuth to reduce uranium(VI) to uranium(IV). The sample solution was merged with a cerium(IV) solution to oxidize uranium(IV) to uranium(VI) and the cerium(III) generated was then monitored fluorimetricaly. The present method is free from interference from zirconium, lanthanides, and thorium, and has been successfully applied to the determination of uranium in monazite coupled with an anion-exchange separation in a sulfuric acid medium to eliminate iron(III). The sample throughput was 25 per hour and the lowest detectable concentration was 0.0042 mg l(-1).     

RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM CARBONATE SOLUTIONS USING STRONGLY ABSIC ANION EXCHANGER Ⅰ.THE OPTIMUM RECOVERY PROCESSES AND COMPOSITION IN RESIN PHASE

A practical and econmical process for effectively recovering uranium from carbonate solutions is presented.The uranium complexes are made unstable by adjusting the pH of mixed solutions of Na2CO3 and NaHCO3 to about 7-8 by HCl and/or NaOH.Within this range of pH value,the super-equivalent uptake of uranium compared with exchange of Cl^- and UO2(CO3)3^4- can be worked out ,the total freee energy change takes on the minimum value ,the predominant species of uranium in resin phase may be U2O7^2- except for a little amount of UO2^2+.     

Alpha-beta discrimination liquid scintillation counting for uranium and its daughters

Advances in liquid scintillation counting (LSC) technologies, such as imporved scintillation cocktail formulations and alpha-beta radiation discrimination, make LSC suitable for applications in uranium process chemistry. Ease of use, low cost, and the huge dynamic range of LSC are distinct advantages for analytical support of actinide processing. All uranium isotopes decay primarily with alpha radiation emission. The immediate short-lived daughters of²³⁸U are²³⁴Th and²³⁴Pa. These nuclides are beta emitters having energy bands that overlap the uranium bands in a liquid scintillation spectrum. The resolution of these overlapping bands by alpha-beta radiation discrimination is useful for uranium quantification and purity verification. Protactinium-234 is a high-energy beta emitter that can be further identified and quantified from it's Cherenkov radiation. Energy spectra were collected on the Packard 2500AB liquid scintillator analyzer for uranyl solutions in diisopropylnaphthalene and pseudocumene based scintillator cocktails. Calibration curves were prepared for nitric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric acid media. Base titrations demonstrated the effect of acid quenching on those system. Ion exchange and water soluble polymer extraction studies are readily followed using liquid scintillation methods.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric measurements of trace levels of uranium following chelation with mordant blue 9

The chelate of uranium with the azo dye Mordant Blue 9 is shown to be adsorbed and then reduced on the hanging mercury drop electrode. These properties have been exploited in developing a highly sensitive stripping voltammetric procedure for trace determination of uranium. With controlled adsorptive accumulation for 5 min, a detection limit near 2 x 10(-10)M uranium is obtained. Cyclic voltammetry has been used to characterize the interfacial and redox behaviour. The effect of various operational parameters on the stripping response is discussed. Experimental conditions include use of 1 x 10(-6)M Mordant Blue 9 in 0.05M acetate buffer (pH 6.5), an accumulation potential of -0.43 V, and a linear potential scan. The response is linear up to 1.2 x 10(-7)M uranium, and the relative standard deviation at 4.2 x 10(-8)M is 3.2%. The effects of possible interferences from organic surfactants or metal ions have been investigated.     

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium using ascorbic acid as a chromogenic reagent

A spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of uranium(VI) using ascorbic acid. Uranium in the hexavalent state forms a reddish-brown coloured complex with ascorbic acid. The colour intensity of the complex is maximum at pH 4.2-4.5 and is stable for 24 hr. The absorbances of uranium(VI)-ascorbic acid complex at 360 and 450 nm are used for its quantification. Uranium in the range 8-200 microg/ml has been determined with good precision. The method allows the determination of uranium in the presence of many metal ions present as impurities. The described method is simple, accurate and applicable to uranium concentration relevant to the PUREX process and thus can be used for analytical control purposes.     

New resin gel for uranium determination by diffusive gradient in thin films technique

A new resin gel based on Spheron-Oxin(?) chelating ion-exchanger with anchored 8-hydroxyquinoline functional groups was tested for application in diffusive gradient in thin film technique (DGT) for determination of uranium. Selectivity of uranium uptake from model carbonate loaded solutions of natural water was studied under laboratory conditions and compared with selectivity of the conventional Chelex 100 based resin gel. The affinity of Spheron-Oxin(?) functional groups enables determination of the overall uranium concentration in water containing carbonates up to the concentration level of 10(2) mg L(-1). The effect of uranium binding to the polyacrylamide (APA) and agarose diffusive gels (AGE) was also studied. Uranium is probably bound in both gels by a weak interaction with traces of acrylic acid groups in the structure of APA gel and with pyruvic and sulfonic acid groups in the AGE gel. These sorption effects can be eliminated to the negligible level by prolonged deployment of DGT probes or by disassembling probes after the 1-2 days post-sampling period that is sufficient for release of uranium from diffusive gel and its sorption in resin gel.     

Molecular motions of different scales at thin polystyrene film surface by lateral force microscopy

Lateral force microscopy (LFM) was used to probe the molecular motions at thin polystyrene film surface. The effect of the applied load on the LFM measurements was investigated by presenting both the LFM results and the surface morphology after several scans over the same area. Depending on the loads, the scanning can be nonperturbative (without alternating the surface morphology) or perturbative (patterning the surface). Temperature-dependent LFM measurements were conducted in order to determine the apparent transitions at the surface. Perturbative scans under high loads (e.g., 150 nN) witnessed that the apparent transitions shifted to low temperatures with an increasing scan rate, while the transitions behaved oppositely under lower loads (1, 10, and 20 nN). The heating effect is suggested to account for the behavior under high loads. According to our results from nonperturbative LFM, the apparent glass transition temperature (T(g)s) is more than 10 K lower than the bulk value. Moreover, rate-dependent LFM measurements were performed under 1 nN in order to detect the surface molecular motions. Time-temperature superposition yields a master curve exhibiting three apparent relaxation peaks. The molecular motions at the surface are discussed on the context of the coupling model.     

Solvent extraction and spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) with pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde 2-hydroxybenzoylhydrazone

Pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde 2-hydroxybenzoylhydrazone (PAHB) is proposed as an extractant for the separation and spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI). The optimum extraction conditions have been evaluated by studying various parameters such as pH, diluents, equilibration time and reagent concentration. PAHB forms yellow colored complex with uranium(VI) in the pH range of 3.5-4.6 which can be extracted by isobutyl methyl ketone. The extracted complex exhibits an absorption maximum at 375 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range 1.0-5.6 ppm of uranium(VI). The nature of the extracted species (1:2) was determined by log D-log c plot. The proposed method permits selective separation of uranium(VI) from its binary mixtures. The method is also applied for the estimation of uranium in multicomponent mixtures and monazite sand.