Simple and Reliable Analysis of Uranium by the Application of Differential Technique in Laser-induced Fluorimetry/ Pulsed LED-Fluorimetry in Ores, Certification of Reference Materials, Borehole Core Assay, Beneficiation Product, and Other Diverse Matrices | Chapter 4 | Science and Technology - Recent Updates and Future Prospects Vol. 6

The measurement of uranium in diverse matrices like mineralized rocks, ores, beneficiation products, and other diverse matrices using a Laser/LED fluorimeter, without resorting to any separation technique is presented and critically evaluated. The main emphasis is on advances and challenges in the available technique, RAP’s: Reliability, Applicability, and Practicability. Among fluorimetry techniques, Laser/LED fluorimeter is the technique of choice to fulfil the desired parameters by suitably selecting fluorescence-enhancing reagents and methods of measurement. Application of differential technique (DT) in laser-induced fluorimetry/ICP-OES for the direct determination of uranium is recommended for routine accurate determination of uranium over a wide range of concentrations, which is based on the comparison of the response of the standard with a sample of similar but unknown concentration on the same sample weight basis. Differential laser-induced fluorimetry method has been evaluated using standards, SY-2, SY-3, reference uranium ore, BL-2a, low-grade uranium ore-IAEA reference samples, and core samples of diverse matrices. The relative standard deviation of the method was 0.3–0.5% in nine replicates for 0.04–3.4% U₃O₈ in mineralized silicate rock samples and 0.5–0.9% at 18.1, 36.2, 61.2, and 99.6% U₃O₈ in concentrates and mineralized grab samples. In this approach, the procedure of elimination of interference by simple dilution of the sample has the distinct advantage of being quick and very simple to perform because it does not require any chemical preparation or extraction. The results are in good agreement with the published data and those obtained by conventional fluorimetry and other methods, and of comparable precision to those obtained by titrimetric assay. It is a self-standardized green methodology of measurement and guarantees the quality of an analytical result (Accuracy, high precision, reliability, comparability, and traceability). Application of differential technique in Laser-/LED-fluorimetry/ICP-OES has the inherent high metrological quality and will be useful for the analysis of uranium in ores, certification of reference materials, borehole core assay, beneficiation product, and other diverse applications in the entire nuclear fuel cycle worldwide.

 

Author (s) Details

 

D.P.S. Rathore
Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Jaipur-302033, Rajasthan, India.

 P.K Tarafder

Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India.

 V. Balaram

CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

M. Mishra
Quantalase Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.

J. Pari
Quantalase Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.

V. Balaram
CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

D.D. Bhawalkar
Quantalase Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/strufp/v6/809

Reliable Analysis of Uranium in Natural Waters Using Laser-induced Fluorimetry/LED-fluorimetry in the Presence of Fluoride and Diverse Humic Substances in Hot Arid Regions: Challenges and Future Perspectives | Chapter 4 | Science and Technology - Recent Updates and Future Prospects Vol. 5

 

The present study highlights the challenges for reliable analysis of uranium in natural waters using laser-induced fluorimetry/LED-fluorimetry in the presence of fluoride and diverse humic substances in hot arid regions. Uranium is present in the environment as a result of leaching from natural deposits, release in mill tailings, and emissions from the nuclear industry, the combustion of coal and other fuels and the use of phosphate fertilizers that contain uranium. Complete preservation of samples, whether domestic wastewater or natural water, is a practical impossibility. After sample collection, changes in dynamic equilibrium cause the physico-chemical and biological changes to continue unavoidably. This justifies the requirement for the application of a mobile geochemistry laboratory for rapid on-site water sample analysis, ideally completed the same day. Laser-induced fluorimetry/pulsed LED-fluorimetry is a well-documented, highly sensitive, and versatile technique for the determination of uranium in water samples at µg L−1 levels, and in fact, it is more challenging due to a wide variety of water samples differing in total dissolved salts including saline water, diverse humic substances and fluoride content especially in hot arid regions as well as due to the practical impossibility of preserving natural water samples. As a result, in hot, dry climates, the most important criterion for an accurate uranium assay is the amount of time that passes between sample collection and analysis.  Greater variance in major cations and anions, as well as uranium concentration, is observed in water samples with high TDS in relation to the time interval between sample collection and analysis. Furthermore, approved reference material for these matrices is unavailable, making it difficult to double-check or guarantee the accuracy of the results. Beyond doubt, LED-fluorimetry is a portable device more suitable for field conditions as well as in control laboratory, easy equipment calibration/standardization, high sensitivity, better reproducibility, cost-effective, eco-friendly, traceability, comparability.

Author(s) Details:

D. P. S. Rathore
Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Jaipur 302033, Rajasthan, India.

 

P. K. Tarafder
Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Jamshedpur 831002, Jharkhand, India.

 

V. Balaram
CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India.


Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/STRUFP-V5/article/view/14864