Chromatographic separation of uranium from iron and thorium with hydroxamized filter paper

Abstract

Filter paper is oxidized with nitrogen dioxide and hydroxamized with hydroxylamine. Uranyl ions give a yellow color and ferric ions give a brown color on this hydroxamized paper. Uranium (30 to 150 mu g) is separated as a yellow band from iron (<1 mg) and thorium (<250 mu g) by ascending chromatography on a strip of hydroxamized paper with 2.5% ammonium carborate solution as a developer. After development for 180 min the band is removed, the separated uranium is extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid from the strip, and determined spectrophotometrically with neothorone using 600 m mu light. (auth)