Issue 16, 2024

Simple and convenient preconcentration procedure for the isotopic analysis of uranium in seawater

Abstract

The demand for monitoring anthropogenic U isotopes, 236U and 233U, in seawater will continue to increase due to radioecological issues and the need for tools for environmental dynamics research. In response to this growing demand, herein, a novel and simple method was developed for the collection of U isotopes in seawater, both in the laboratory and field, using a fabric-like amidoxime adsorbent. The results from the adsorption studies showed that the optimum conditions for processing seawater in a glass beaker were as follows: seawater pH 4, amidoxime adsorbent 0.20 mmol per 500 g seawater and an adsorption time of 9 hours. Alternatively, when using a closed polyethylene container in experiments on-board a ship and using the same ratio of adsorbent to seawater as in the beaker experiment in the laboratory, the optimum conditions were as follows: seawater pH 8 and an adsorption time of 24 hours. Under the above-mentioned conditions, more than 95% of the U underwent adsorption in both the beaker and the polyethylene container experiments. In the case of analyte desorption, more than 80% of U in seawater was recovered using 2–3 mol dm−3 HCl or HNO3 as the eluent. Thus, it was concluded that the amidoxime adsorbent can serve as a simple and effective pre-concentration method for the ultra-trace monitoring of U isotopes in seawater.

Graphical abstract: Simple and convenient preconcentration procedure for the isotopic analysis of uranium in seawater

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Aug 2023
Accepted
17 Mar 2024
First published
12 Apr 2024

Anal. Methods, 2024,16, 2478-2488

Simple and convenient preconcentration procedure for the isotopic analysis of uranium in seawater

M. Abe, N. Seko, H. Hoshina, S. Wada, S. Yamasaki, K. Sueki and A. Sakaguchi, Anal. Methods, 2024, 16, 2478 DOI: 10.1039/D3AY01381B

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