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 Pha 2023
Accepted
17 Ube 2024
First published
12 Mme 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

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements