Potentiometric determination of uranium in organic extracts

Abstract

The potentimetric determination of uranium in organic extracts was studied. A mixture of 30% TBP, (tributylphosphate), in carbon tetrachloride was used, with the NBL (New Brunswick Laboratory) titrimetric procedure. Results include a comparative analysis performed on organic extracts of fissium alloys vs those performed on aqueous samples of the same alloys which had been treated to remove interfering elements. Also comparative analyses were performed on sample solutions from a typical scrap recovery operation common in the uranium processing industry. A limited number of residue type materials, calciner products, and presscakes were subjected to analysis by organic extraction. The uranium extraction was not hindered by 30% TBP/CCl/sub 4/. To fully demonstrate the capabilities of the extraction technique and its compatibility with the NBL potentiometric uranium determination, a series of uranium standards was subjected to uranium extraction with 30% TBP/CCl/sub 4/. The uranium was then stripped out of the organic phase with 40 mL of H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/, 15 mL of H/sub 2/0, and 1 mL of 1M FeSO/sub 4/ solution. The uranium was then determined in the aqueous phosphoric phase by the regular NBL potentiometric method, omitting only the addition of another 40 mL of H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/. Uranium determinations rangingmore » from approximately 20 to 150 mg of U were successfully made with the same accuracy and precision normally achieved. 8 tables. (DP)« less