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Ultraviolet spectrophotometric determination of gadolinium in concentrated solutions of nitrate salts

Journal Article · · Anal. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00297a039· OSTI ID:5699711
Ultraviolet spectroscopy was successfully applied for determining the gadolinium concentration in Gd(NO/sub 3/)/sub 3/ solutions. The /sup 6/I/sub 15/2/, /sup 6/I/sub 13/2/ reverse arrow /sup 8/S/sub 7/2/ transitions of the Gd/sup 3 +/ ion, which are responsible for the fine structure at 272.8 nm, were selected as a basis for the investigation of three analytical modes, one based on three wavelength measurements (mode ABS) and the others on first- and second-derivative measurements (modes deltaA/deltalambda and delta/sup 2/A/deltalambda/sup 2/). For the particular problem concerned here, namely, to deal with nitrate interference in the spectral region of interest (270-280 nm), the best performance was shown by the first-order derivative mode, which had a precision of +- 0.035 g L/sup -1/, a discrimination limit of 0.071 g L/sup -1/, and an accuracy of 0.60% for an 8 g L/sup -1/ Gd solution. This study shows that it is possible to adopt this principle for quantitative analysis of the Gd(NO/sub 3/)/sub 3/ solutions (0.0509 M or 8 g L/sup -1/ Gd) used in the emergency shutdown systems of CANDU-PHW (Canada deuterium uranium-pressurized heavy water) reactors. 19 references, 4 figures, 2 tables.
Research Organization:
IREQ (Institut de Recherche d'Hydro-Quebec), Varennes
OSTI ID:
5699711
Journal Information:
Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 58:6; ISSN ANCHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English