Spectroelectrochemical Sensor for Technetium: Preconcentration and Quantification of Technetium in Polymer Modified Electrodes

Conference · Thu Mar 27 04:00:00 EST 2003

OSTI ID:826398

Monk, David J; Stegemiller, Michael L; Conklin, Sean; Paddock, Jean R; Heineman, William R; Seliskar, Carl J; Ridgway, Thomas H; Bryan, Samuel A; Hubler, Tim L

A remote spectroelectrochemical sensor and instrumentation package is being developed for the detection of aqueous pertechnetate in the vadose zone. This sensor can be employed to monitor the integrity of low-level and high-level nuclear waste containment at U.S. DOE sites. A brief review of previous advancements and current development of this sensor is described. Initial spectroelectrochemical studies of pertechnetate using unmodified and polymer modified optically transparent electrodes have shown that the polymer modified electrode will readily preconcentrate pertechnetate. The electrodeposition of technetium oxide in these films is shown to be a method for the quantitative spectroelectrochemical determination of technetium and has been verified using radiochemistry dose measurements and scanning electron microscopy. The irreversible electrochemical nature of pertechnetate in polymer modified electrodes demonstrates the need to identify a ligand capable of complexing wi th technetium, to allow reversible detection and to provide additional chemical selectivity.

• Research Organization: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
• OSTI ID: 826398
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTAINMENT
DETECTION
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTRODES
MONITORS
PERTECHNETATES
POLYMERS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOCHEMISTRY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
TECHNETIUM
TECHNETIUM OXIDES