Determination of concentrations of fission products by ICP–AES in solutions from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing

Abstract

A procedure was developed for determining the gravimetric concentration of U and fission products (Ba, Mo, Zr, Sr, Rb, Pd, and Cd) in solutions from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) reprocessing, using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES). The optimum analysis parameters were found. The analytical lines that are not significantly affected by the matrix element were chosen for the elements being determined. The total margin of error in measurements of the metal concentrations (0.1–2500 mg L^–1) by the suggested procedure is in the interval 1–20% (for the minimal concentration). The detection thresholds of uranium fission products in model solutions at optimum parameters vary in the interval from 0.020 to 0.1 mg L^–1.