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Development of a rapid procedure for the measurement of uranium in drinking water by PERALS® spectrometry

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Abstract

A new method has been developed for the measurement of U in water samples by selective and quantitative extraction from DTPA solution into an extractive scintillator containing HDEHP and alpha-counting by PERALS® spectrometry. Because this method offers several advantages over the current EPA and ASTM standard test methods for U in drinking water, including speed, simplicity and isotopic information, it has been proposed as a new ASTM standard test method. Sample preparation requires from 1–4 h. Less than 0.5% of Am, Pu, Po, Ra and Th were found to extract under the prescribed conditions. Typical backgrounds are ≤0.01 cpm. A comparison of this method with EPA standard method 908.0 and the results of two interlaboratory tests of this method are reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ETRAC Laboratories, Inc., 37830, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    J. M. Duffey & F. I. Case

  2. Radiation Safety Engineering, 85225, Chandler, AZ, USA

    R. L. Metzger & B. J. Jessop

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, 37996-1600, Knoxville, TN, USA

    G. K. Schweitzer

Authors
  1. J. M. Duffey
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  2. F. I. Case
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  3. R. L. Metzger
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  4. B. J. Jessop
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  5. G. K. Schweitzer
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Duffey, J.M., Case, F.I., Metzger, R.L. et al. Development of a rapid procedure for the measurement of uranium in drinking water by PERALS® spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 221, 115–122 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035252

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035252

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