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Laser spectroscopic characterization and quantification of uranium(VI) under fluorescence quenching by Fe(II)

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Abstract

Spectroscopic characteristics of aqueous uranium(VI) (U(VI)) (0.01–1 μΜ) and its quantification procedure in the presence of Fe(II) (≤0.09 mM) have been developed at pH 7 using TRLFS. The measured fluorescence properties of U(VI) in the phosphate solutions showed the co-presence of UO2HPO4 (aq) and \({\text{UO}}_{2} {\text{PO}_{4}}^{ - }.\) The fluorescence signals of each species were remarkably quenched following dominantly static quenching process via the formation of non-fluorescent complexes. An empirical equation correcting the quenched fluorescence intensity was developed and the corrected values of quenched U(VI) intensity showed a consistency (≥93.39 ± 2.27 %) with the measured uranium concentration by ICP-MS.

Graphical Abstract

We firstly confirmed that aqueous U(VI) quantification by TRLFS can be significantly interrupted by Fe(II) quenching via dominantly a static quenching process. The novel analytical procedure for correcting quenched fluorescence intensity (concentration) of U(VI) was developed based on the relationship of the quenched intensity and Fe(II) concentration at neutral pH.

Fluorescence quenching relations of U(VI) fluorescence intensity and Fe(II) concentration for accurate quantification of U(VI) under F(II) quenching

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2012M1A2A2026588) Grant funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning, the GAIA project (2014000550004) funded by the Korean Ministry of Environment, and the Korea Radiation Safety Foundation (KORSAFe-1305032-0113-SB110) funded by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 219 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34341, Republic of Korea

    Youngho Sihn & Jong-Il Yun

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 219 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34341, Republic of Korea

    Woojin Lee

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  1. Youngho Sihn
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  2. Jong-Il Yun
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Correspondence to Jong-Il Yun or Woojin Lee.

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Sihn, Y., Yun, JI. & Lee, W. Laser spectroscopic characterization and quantification of uranium(VI) under fluorescence quenching by Fe(II). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 413–423 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4428-3

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