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Simultaneous determination of U and Pu in Pu-stream of PUREX process by visible spectrophotometry

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Abstract

During nuclear fuel reprocessing, monitoring of U and Pu concentration in every stage is very essential for process control purpose. A simple and fast spectrophotometric method for a simultaneous estimation of U and Pu in Plutonium Uranium Recovery by Extraction (PUREX) process’s tail end stream like Pu product where Pu concentration is much richer than that of U is described here. The method involves reduction of the bulk amount of Pu to Pu(III) using ascorbic acid in 1 M HNO3. Visible absorption peaks were measured at 416 nm for U and at 600 nm for Pu using a fiber optic probe of path length 40 mm. The methodology enables quantification of U and Pu concentration in the Pu product samples with a precision of 2.8 and 2.1%, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kalpakkam Reprocessing Plant BARCF, Kalpakkam, 603 102, Tamil Nadu, India

    K. Suresh Kumar, P. Magesvaran, D. Sreejeya, T. Kumar, B. Shreekumar & P. K. Dey

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  1. K. Suresh Kumar
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  2. P. Magesvaran
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  3. D. Sreejeya
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  4. T. Kumar
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  5. B. Shreekumar
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  6. P. K. Dey
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Correspondence to K. Suresh Kumar.

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Suresh Kumar, K., Magesvaran, P., Sreejeya, D. et al. Simultaneous determination of U and Pu in Pu-stream of PUREX process by visible spectrophotometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 284, 457–460 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0498-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0498-4

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