Determination of lithium and lithium-6 in solutions by the nuclear track technique

Abstract

The nuclear track technique can be applied to the determination of Li and /sup 6/Li in solutions, since the triton produced by the reaction /sup 6/Li(n, ..cap alpha..) /sup 3/H is amenable to nuclear track detection. Tests were carried out to determine the effect of absorber thickness when strips of cellulose nitrate heat sealed inside various thicknesses of linear polyethylene were used as ..cap alpha.. absorbers. Absorber thicknesses between 12.5 and 28 ..mu..m produced no significant change in the triton track density. Optimum etching conditions for tracks in cellulose nitrate were found to be a 25-min etching period in 2.5N NaOH at 50 +- 0.5/sup 0/C. The lower limits of detection were found to be 100 ppM Li and 7.4% /sup 6/Li, and a linear relationship was found to exist between triton track density and lithium concentration. (BLM)