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Anion exchange x-ray-fluorescence determination of uranium in plutonium

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6435359

An improved method is described for the determiation of uranium in plutonium metal and plutonium compounds using x-ray fluorescence following two anion-exchange separations. Uranium (as the chloride complex) is first separated from most of the 500-mg plutonium sample using anion-exchange resin in glass columns with 8M HCl and ascorbic acid. The eluate solution from this separation contains uranium as (UO/sub 2/Cl/sub 3/)/sup -/, Pu/sup +3/, and a small amount of Pu/sup +4/. This solution is dried and redissolved in 8M HCl and ascorbic acid to reduce the Pu/sup +4/ to Pu/sup +3/; it is then pipetted onto filter paper impregnated with anion-exchange resin. The plutonium is washed from the resin filter paper with 8M HCl, leaving uranium adsorbed on the paper. The L/sub ..cap alpha..1/ x-ray line for the uranium is measured and compared to standards. The precision is 4% relative standard deviation for the concentration range from 5 to 200 ..mu..g uranium. The minimum detection limit is 1 ..mu..g uranium.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
6435359
Report Number(s):
LA-9552; ON: DE83008363
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English