Determination of molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium in radioinactive simulated waste of the nuclear fuel cycle by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS)

Abstract

In relation with insoluble particles in the nuclear fuel cycle waste, the solid sampling GFAAS was used to determine molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium in such waste. Two methods for the direct determination of these elements are described. The samples must be handled in glove boxes or moreover in hot cells with a robot. The determination of the elements by the cup-in-tube technique needs a very sensitive balance (microbalance) for weighing in μg-range and the handling of this method is not practical in glove boxes and hot cells. An alternative technique of solid sampling GFAAS, which can be used without great problems in glove boxes and hot cells is the slurry technique. In this case two methods have been used. One method uses graphite powder as a diluter, the other is the direct suspension of the sample in a matrix modifier solution. In the case of slurry technique with predilution of the sample with graphite powder, recoveries between 91 and 102% and RSD between 4 and 8% were obtained, whereas in the case of slurry technique with direct suspension of the waste sample recoveries between 91 and 103% and RSD between 14 and 20% for the above mentioned elements were obtained.