Determination of uranium in plutonium by differential linear sweep oscillographic polarography

Abstract

The polarographic behavior of uranium in hydroxylamine hydrochloride was investigated by differential oscillographic polarography. A procedure is presented for the determination of uranium in plutonium for concentrations of uranium greater than 10 p.p.m. Analyses of solutions containing 22 common impurities found in plutonium metal revealed that antimony, copper, and titanium cause significant interference. A reversible peak corresponding to a one-electron reduction was obtained with a peak potential of -0.167 V vs. Hg pool electrode. The diffusion coefficient is 0.51·10 -5 cm 2/sec and the diffusion current constant is 1.59 with an average relative standard deviation of 2.28%. The peak current of uranium can be affected by hydrochloric, nitric, perchloric, and sulfuric acids, depending on the acid concentration.