Quantitative analysis of trivalent uranium and lanthanides in a molten chloride by absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract

As an analytical application for pyrochemical reprocessing using molten salts, quantitative analysis of uranium and lanthanides by UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectrophotometry was performed. Electronic absorption spectra of LiCl–KCl eutectic at 773 K including trivalent uranium and eight rare earth elements (Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd as fission product elements) were measured in the wavenumber region of 4,500–33,000 cm⁻¹. The composition of the solutes was simulated for a reductive extraction condition in a pyroreprocessing process for spent nuclear fuels, that is, about 2 wt% U and 0.1–2 wt% rare earth elements. Since U(III) possesses strong absorption bands due to f–d transitions, an optical quartz cell with short light path length of 1 mm was adopted in the analysis. The quantitative analysis of trivalent U, Nd, Pr, and Sm was possible with their f–f transition intensities in the NIR region. The analytical results agree with the prepared concentrations within 2σ experimental uncertainties.