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A method for prompt in situ uranium assay and free acidity determination in uranyl nitrate solutions by density and Raman measurements

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Abstract

A combination of the density and Raman measurements for rapid in situ determination of uranium concentration and free acid molarity in uranyl nitrate solutions is proposed. Laboratory validation and field tests performed using a portable handheld density meter and a handheld Raman spectrometer demonstrated a feasibility of the approach in the range of uranium concentration from 50 to 426 g L−1, and free acid molarity ≤ 3 M. The combined standard uncertainties of the uranium and free acidity determination were found to be 2.4% and 5.7%, respectively. Potentials of the method in safeguards and process control applications are highlighted.

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Notes

  1. As noted in Ref [28], “free acidity of a solution containing hydrolysable metal ions is defined as the acidity in excess of the stoichiometrically balanced salts or the acidity without taking into account that contributed by the hydrolisis of such ions”.

  2. For the sake of simplicity, the plutonium part is not shown in Eq. (1).

  3. This is a simplication. For instance, Ikeda-Ohno et al. [33] concluded that speciation of uranium in uranyl nitrate is rather complex and can vary with the change of nitrate concentration.

  4. Note that the measurements were performed during a plant’s shutdown period, when various maintenance activities could affect properties of technological media. For this reason, the measured uranium and free acid concentartions may not be enitrely representive of the process.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to gratefully acknowledge Mr Andreas Schachinger and Ms Rosanna Jungreithmair from the Nuclear Material Laboratory of the IAEA’s Safeguards Analytical Services in Seibersdorf for the assistance in preparation and characterization of reference solutions used in this study.

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  1. Department of Safeguards, International Atomic Energy Agency, PO Box 100, 1400, Vienna, Austria

    Andriy Berlizov

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Berlizov, A. A method for prompt in situ uranium assay and free acidity determination in uranyl nitrate solutions by density and Raman measurements. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 320, 775–784 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06503-y

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