SEDL / STP / STP1291-EB / STP15986S

Analysis of Urine for U-235 and U-238 by ICP-MS

Vita, OA
Environmental Laboratories, Lockheed-Martin Utility Services, Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Piketon, OH

Mayfield, KC
Environmental Laboratories, Lockheed-Martin Utility Services, Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Piketon, OH

Pages: 7    Published: Jan 1995

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Abstract

The Portsmouth Laboratory has developed an ICP-MS method that has detection limits for U-235 and U-238 isotopes of 0.006 μg/L. Utilizing ICP-MS measurements for the U-235 and U-238 isotopes along with calculated U-234 concentrations, internal dose assessments can be made that meet both plant operational and ANSI 13.30 requirements for total uranium.

In this method, a urine sample is digested and then wet-oxidized with concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids to solubilize the uranium and to destroy the organic matter. The uranium is selectively separated from the chloride salts by anion exchange and is eluted with dilute nitric acid. The U-235 and U-238 are analyzed by ICP-MS.