DETERMINATION OF PLUTONIUM IN URINE BY ANION EXCHANGE

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4148035

Campbell, E E; Moss, W D

Pu is concentrated from urine by coprecipitation with alkaline earth phosphates. The precipitate is dissolved in 7.5 N HNO/sub 3/, and the Pu absorbed from that solution onto Dowex 1 x 2 anion exchange resin. Interfering anions absorbed on the column are removed with 12 N HCl. The Pu is eluted from the column with specially prepared HCl and Hl, and the alpha activity determined by direct planchetting or by electrodeposition of the eluate, followed by standard alpha counting techniques. The problems associated with the determination of Pu in urine are discussed and the advantages of the method presented over a mixing reservoir, and a pump. The cell was connected to the reservoir and pump by means of about 35 feet of Tygon tubing. Changes in concentration of uranium were measured by continuous chart recordings of the uranium L alpha total peak intensity. At a flow rate through the cell of 600 ml/ min, changes in uranium concentration in the reservoir were recorded on the chart in about 20 seconds. Experiments showed that peak-to-background ratios could be used to provide an accurate measure of concentration changes independently of instrumental and other variables. Continuous analysis was also found to be applicable to the determination of total uranium in raffinate slurries where some of the uranium is present in the suspended solids. (auth)

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N. Mex.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• NSA Number: NSA-18-001501
• OSTI ID: 4148035
• Report Number(s): CONF-212-5; LADC-5922
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALPHA DETECTION
CHEMISTRY
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ENRICHMENT
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
INTERFERING ELEMENTS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
LEACHING
NITRIC ACID
PHOSPHATES
PLUTONIUM
PRECIPITATION
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
SOLUTIONS
URINE