Solvent extraction studies using tetracycline as a complexing agent. XIII. Application of tetracycline for separation of interfering elements in activation analysis of uranium

Tetracycline in solution of benzyl alcohol was used as an extracting agent to separate uranium from interfering elements in the determination of uranium and of isotopic ratio²³⁵U/²³⁸U by neutron activation analysis. Separation gives a recovery of 97% for uranium and the interferences from matrices of pitchblende and monazite are eliminated.From a dissertation submitted by R. Petrauskas to the University of São Paulo in partial fulfilment for a Master of Science Degree in Nuclear Technology.     

Uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separation by the Purex process using hydroxyurea

Hydroxyurea dissolved in nitric acid can strip plutonium and neptunium from tri-butyl phosphate efficiently and has little influence on the uranium distribution between the two phases. Simulating the 1B contactor of the Purex process by hydroxyurea with nitric acid solution as a stripping agent, the separation factors of uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium can reach values as high as 4.7·10⁴ and 260, respectively. This indicates that hydroxyurea is a promising salt free agent for uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separations.     

Uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separation by the Purex process using hydroxyurea

Hydroxyurea dissolved in nitric acid can strip plutonium and neptunium from tri-butyl phosphate efficiently and has little influence on the uranium distribution between the two phases. Simulating the 1B contactor of the Purex process by hydroxyurea with nitric acid solution as a stripping agent, the separation factors of uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium can reach values as high as 4.7·10⁴ and 260, respectively. This indicates that hydroxyurea is a promising salt free agent for uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separations.     

Electrodeposition of uranium and thorium

Cathodic depositions of uranium and thorium were carried out from a number of baths containing the metal salts, and complexing agents. A reducing agent was also present to prevent oxidation of the element. The deposition was also carried out at controlled pH. The current density ranged from 50 to 200 mA cm^–2. The purity of the deposited metals was better than 99.7%. The mechanism of formation of uranium and thorium is proposed and discussed.     

Separation and quantitative determination of dioxouranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions in the presence of different metallic ions by TLC using iso-propyldithiophosphoric acid as complexing agent

The separation of uranium and thorium from matrices containing various metal ions, was studied. The mobile phase contains isopropyldithiophosphoric acid (i-PrDTP), as a complexing agent, in order to differentiate the studied species by modifying their retention. The paper reports the successful separation and the quantitative determination of uranium and thorium in the presence of Ni²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ag⁺ in the concentration range 2.5–2.5 μg/μl for uranium and 2.5–30 μg/μl for thorium.     

Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Uranium(VI) in Presence of N‐Phenylanthranilic Acid

N‐Phenylanthranilic acid was used as a complexing agent for determination of uranium(VI) by adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry. Under the optimal experimental conditions of the experimental parameters, the peak current was proportional to the concentration of U(VI) in the range 0.75–30 ng mL^?1 and the detection limit was 0.036 ng mL^?1. The influence of possible interferences was investigated. The method was applied for determination of uranium in waste water from uranium conversion facility and natural water samples. Application of the method for simultaneous determination of U(VI) and Cu(II) showed that these ions could be simultaneously determined in a single scan at relatively wide concentration range.     

A spectrophotometric method for uranium determination

A very sensitive extraction spectrophotometric method for the analysis of uranium based on the extraction of a uranium—benzoate—crystal violet complex by a mixture of xylene and benzene is described. The absorbance maximum is at 606 nm and molar absorptivity is 4.28·10⁴ l·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹. The interference due to a number of anions and cations studied without any pre-extraction was found to be within permissible limits. The method has been used for determining uranium in a synthetic solution, i.e., uranium in the presence of various other ions. The interference due to some cations was eliminated by the use of a masking agent (boric acid).     

Analysis of solid uranium samples using a small mass spectrometer

A mass spectrometer for isotopic analysis of solid uranium samples has been constructed and evaluated. This system employs the fluorinating agent chlorine trifluoride (ClF₃) to convert solid uranium samples into their volatile uranium hexafluorides (UF₆). The majority of unwanted gaseous byproducts and remaining ClF₃ are removed from the sample vessel by condensing the UF₆ and then pumping away the unwanted gases. The UF₆ gas is then introduced into a quadrupole mass spectrometer and ionized by electron impact ionization. The doubly charged bare metal uranium ion (U²⁺) is used to determine the U²³⁵/U²³⁸ isotopic ratio. Precision and accuracy for several isotopic standards were found to be better than 12%, without further calibration of the system. The analysis can be completed in 25 min from sample loading, to UF₆ reaction, to mass spectral analysis. The method is amenable to uranium solid matrices, and other actinides.     

Simultaneous Determination of Ultra Trace of Uranium and Cadmium by Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry Using H‐Point Standard Addition Method

A sensitive adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with H‐point standard addition method for simultaneous determination of uranium and cadmium has been developed. The trace amounts of these metal ions can be simultaneously determined using the Levodpa as complexing agent. Optimal conditions were: accumulation time 50 s, accumulation potential 0.0 mV, scan rate 40 mV s^?1, supporting electrolyte 0.1 M ammonium buffer pH 9.6, and 1×10^?5 M of Levodopa. The results revealed that the cadmium and uranium could be simultaneously determined by H‐point standard addition method with different concentration ratios of uranium to cadmium. The method was successfully applied in a several of real samples.     

Application of High Performance Liquid Chromatography to the Analysis of Nuclear Materials

Abstract

A small-particle (13 μm) styrene-divinylbenzene cation-exchange resin has been used for the separation and determination of trace metals in nuclear materials such as steels, Ni-Cr-Fe alloys, zirconium, and uranium. The eluted metal ions, which included Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb, were monitored with a variable wavelength detector after a post-column reaction with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol. The metal ions were determined at 10^?4 to 1% (w/w) levels by direct injection of solutions of the materials. Interference from uranium, due to the reaction between uranium and the reagent used for detection, was removed either with a masking agent or by a coupled-column technique.     

Extraction of uranium with 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, and its fluorimetric determination in silicate rocks

A novel procedure for the extraction of uranium has been described. UO₂ ²⁺ forms a 1:3 anionic complex with 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene in the pH range, 4–12. This anionic complex is best extracted into ethyl acetate at pH 11–12 under the influence of a counter cation, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. This extraction technique has been extended to the separation of uranium from silicate rock matrices for its determination by fluorimetry. Except Co, Cr, and Fe, most elements present in silicate rocks do not interfere. While the interferences of Co and Cr are suppressed by the addition of EDTA, iron is removed by prior extraction at pH 4–5 as its neutral complex with 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene. The results compare favourably with those obtained from the conventional technique, i.e., extraction of uranium in ethyl acetate from NHO₃ medium under the influence of Al(NO₃)₃ ^.9H₂O as salting out agent. The extraction system under study is capable of separating even ultra-trace amounts of uranium quantitatively from complex matrices of rock samples. Besides, the method is simple, rapid, cost effective and precludes the use of reagents like nitric acid and aluminum nitrate (salting out agent) required in bulk quantities in the conventional system.     

Use of tetracycline as complexing agent in radiochemical separations

The use of the antibiotic agent tetracycline for analytical purposes in solvent extraction procedures is presented. Individual extraction curves for the lanthanides, zinc, scandium, uranium, thorium, neptunium and protactinium were obtained. Separation of those elements one from another, and of uranium from selenium, bromine, antimony, barium, tantalum and tungsten was carried out. In all cases benzyl alcohol was the diluent used to dissolve tetracycline hydrochloride. Sodium chloride was used as supporting electrolyte for the lanthanide separations and sodium perchlorate for the other elements mentioned. Stability or formation constants for the lanthanide complexes as well as for thorium complex with tetracycline were determined by using the methods of average number of ligands, the limiting value (for thorium), the two parameters and the weighted least squares. For the lanthanides, the stability constants of the complexes Ln(TC)₃ go from 9.35±0.22 for lanthanum up to 10.84±0.11 for lutetium. For the Th(TC)₄ complex the formation constant is equal to 24.6±0.3. Radioisotopes of the respective elements were used for the determinations. When more than one radioelement was present in an experiment, a multichannel analyser coupled to Ge(Li) or NaI(Tl) detectors was used for counting the activities. When only one radioisotope was used, counting of the radioisotopes was made with a single-channel analyser (integral mode counting) coupled to a NaI(Tl) detector. Uranium was determined by activation analysis (epithermal neutrons). Radioisotopes of the elements were obtained by irradiation in the IPEN swimming-pool reactor. The natural radioisotope^{2 3 4}Th was used as label in the thorium experiments. In some separation procedures such as in the case of the pair uranium-neptunium, and of the pair scandium-zinc, the separation was obtained by properly adjusting the pH value of the aqueous phases, before the extraction operation. In other cases, addition of masking agents to the extraction system was required in order to perform the separation between the elements under study. In this way ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was used as masking agent for scandium and the lanthanides in order to allow separation of uranium from those elements. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) was used as masking agent for thorium in order to extract uranium into the organic phase. Separations of protactinium from thorium, and of uranium from protactinium and thorium, were accomplished by using sodium fluoride as masking agent for protactinium and DPTA as masking agent for thorium and protactinium at the same time. In the case of the separation of the lanthanides one from another it is necessary to resort to a multi-stage extraction procedure since the stability constants for those elements are too close.     

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium in sea water with thiocyanate and rhodamine B

Summary Spectrophotometric Determination of Uranium in Sea-Water with Thiocyanate and Rhodamine B In the presence of a large excess of thiocyanate uranium(VI) forms a violet colour with Rhodamine B. The complex can be stabilized by addition of poly (vinyl alcohol). The calibration graph for measurement at 600 nm is linear in the range 0.5–10g of uranium per 25ml, the molar absorptivity being 3.56×10⁵1-mole^–1·cm^–1. The effect of foreign ions has been studied and the method can be applied to the determination of uranium in sea-water, with reliable results. Uranium is preconcentrated from sea-water by a flotation procedure with toluene in presence of benzoate and Safranine T, with nitrilotriacetic acid as masking agent. The method is highly selective for uranium, with a recovery of 97.9–99.2%.     

Separation and preconcentration of U(VI) on XAD-4 modified with 8-hydroxy quinoline

Amberlite XAD-4 adsorber resin was modified with 8-hydroxy quinoline (Oxine) by equilibrating with methanol solution of the reagent and the modified resin was used as a support material for the solid phase extraction and preconcentration of UO₂²⁺ from aqueous solution at pH between 4 and 5.5. Ten micrograms of uranium from 300 ml of aqueous phase could be quantitatively extracted in to 1 g of the modified resin giving an enrichment of 200. Uranium collected in the column could be eluted out with methanol-HCl mixture and determined spectrophotometrically using arsenazo(III) as the chromogenic reagent. The preconcentration could be made selective to uranium by using EDTA as a masking agent for transition metal ions and Th(IV).     

Synergistic extraction of uranium(VI) with mixtures of bis(hexylsulfinyl)ethane (BHxSE) and petroleum sulfoxides (PSO)

The synergistic extraction of uranium(VI) from aqueous nitric acid solution with mixtures of bis(hexylsulfinyl)ethane (BHxSE) and petroleum sulfoxides (PSO) in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane was studied. It has been found that the maximum synergistic extraction effect occurs when the molar ratio of PSO to BHxSE is close to 1. The composition of the complex of synergistic extraction was estimated as UO₂(NO₃)₂ ^.BHxSE^.PSO. The formation constant of the complex was equal to K_BP = 4.23±0.03. The effects of extractant, nitric acid, salting-out agent, and complex anion concentrations and temperature on the extraction equilibrium of uranium(VI) were also studied.     

Synthesis of dihydroxyurea and its application to the U/Pu split in the PUREX process

Dihydroxyurea (DHU) was synthesized using tri-associated solid phosgene [bis(trichloromethyl) carbonate] dissolved in dioxane and hydroxylamine hydrochloride dissolved in potassium acetate solution. The reduction of Pu(IV) by DHU was investigated using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The reduction back-extraction behavior of Pu(IV) in 30% tri-butyl phosphate/kerosene was firstly investigated under conditions of various temperature, various DHU and HNO₃ concentrations and various phase contact times. The results showed that Pu(IV) in the organic phase can be stripped rapidly to the aqueous phase by DHU. Simulating the 1B contactor of the PUREX process using a 0.1 M DHU in 0.36M nitric acid solution as the stripping agent, the separation factors of uranium/plutonium can reach 2.1·10⁴. This indicates that DHU is a promising salt free agent for uranium/plutonium separation.     

Solvent extraction of uranium from aqueous solutions by α-benzoinoxime

Solvent extraction of uranium with α-benzoinoxime from aqueous solutions has been systematically investigated. The extraction equilibration was very fast and achieved at 60 s for uranium. The extraction of uranium was pH-dependent using α-benzoinoxime as extractant. The effect concentration of uranium and α-benzoinoxime was studied. The uranium loaded in the organic phase can be stripped efficiently with 93 % yield using 0.1 M HCl as the stripping agent in a single stripping step. A good selectivity for uranium was observed through α-benzoinoxime as extractant from aqueous solution with other interfering cation ions. Present study suggested that α-benzoinoxime can be used as a potential extractant for separation of uranium from aqueous solution using centrifugal extractor in industrial application.     

Uranium from German Nuclear Power Projects of the 1940s— A Nuclear Forensic Investigation

Here we present a nuclear forensic study of uranium from German nuclear projects which used different geometries of metallic uranium fuel. 3b , 3d , 4 Through measurement of the ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ratio, we could determine that the material had been produced in the period from 1940 to 1943. To determine the geographical origin of the uranium, the rare‐earth‐element content and the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio were measured. The results provide evidence that the uranium was mined in the Czech Republic. Trace amounts of ²³⁶U and ²³⁹Pu were detected at the level of their natural abundance, which indicates that the uranium fuel was not exposed to any major neutron fluence.     

Determination of uranium is sea water and biological materials by neutron activation after selective preconcentration with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol

Uranium is preconcentrated from sea water, tap water, and solutions obtained by digestion of biological samples, by coprecipitation with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN). Coprecipitation is most effective at pH 4.5–6.5 with a recovery of 85–94%. In the presence of 0.1 M 1,2-cyclohexylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid (CyDTA) as a masking agent, the method is highly selective for uranium. After neutron activation of the precipitate, uranium can be quantified via the ²³⁹U nuclide with a relatively low background in the region of interest (74 keV). Detection limits are 3–4 ng kg^?1 for 500-ml water samples and 5 μg kg^?1 for 0.5-g biological samples (after digestion). The method can be applied to most environmental samples, as shown by the results for sea water and three standard reference materials.     

Determination of Uranium and Plutonium in High Active Solutions by Extractive Spectrophotometry

Plutonium and uranium was extracted from nitric acid into trioctyl phosphine oxide in xylene. The TOPO layer was analysed by spectrophotometry. Thoron was used as the chromogenic agent for plutonium. Pyridyl azoresorcinol was used as chromogenic agent for uranium. The molar absorption coefficient for uranium and plutonium was found to be 19000 and 19264 liter/mole-cm, respectively. The correlation coefficient for plutonium and uranium was found to be 0.9994. The relative standard deviation for the determination of plutonium and uranium was found to be 0.96% and 1.4%, respectively.