Determination of ²³³U by Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

The paper describes studies carried out for the determination of ²³³U at various stages during the recovery and purification of ²³³U from ²³³U-Al alloy scraps generated during the fabrication of ²³³U-Al alloy fuel.

Employing a high resolution sequential spectrometer and Inductively Coupled argon Plasma (ICP) as the spectral excitation source, isotope shift for ²³³U with respect to ²³⁸U has been resolved and recorded. The shift for 424.437 nm emission line of ²³⁸U is found to be of the order of 0.040 nm on the lower wavelength side for ²³³U and this isotopic effect has been utilised for the quantitative determination of ²³³U. The overall precision of the method is 5% RSD with the detection limit of 0.01 μg/ml.

Key Words:

• ²³³U
• Isotopic shift
• ICP-AES technique