Development of an extractive spectrophotometric method for estimation of uranium in ore leach solutions using 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid-mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC88A) and tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) mixture as extractant and 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylozo)-5-diethyl aminophenol (Br-PADAP) as chromophore

Reversible Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Uranyl-Sensing Optode Film in Aqueous Streams: Color Transformation and Reusability

A hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES)-based optode was designed for the preconcentration and determination of the UO22+ ion in aqueous media using spectroscopic techniques [energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and solid-state absorption]. The optode was developed by incorporation of HDES (tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide and decanoic acid in an equimolar ratio), tri-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, and 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol into a cellulose triacetate matrix. Characterization studies were carried out using different techniques to understand the roles of HDES as a plasticizer, UO22+ extractant, and Br-PADAP immobilizer. Uptake studies revealed that the optimal pH was 3 and sorption followed the type II adsorption isotherm. Uranium in the U-sorbed optode can be directly analyzed over a large concentration range of 0.021 × 10-3-2.1 × 10-3 Mol L-1 using EDXRF. The optode film exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.84 × 10-6-84 × 10-6 Mol L-1 for uranium, with a lowest limit of detection of 0.084 × 10-6 Mol L-1 by colorimetric analysis. This optode-based method was employed for seawater analysis for its UO22+ concentration without any matrix separation, and the concentration was found to be 1.30 ± 0.06 × 10-8 Mol L-1. The optode exhibited better selectivity for UO22+ in the presence of various cations including Sr2+ and Cs+ in an aqueous medium. Compared to other prevailing optical sensors, this optode performed better in terms of key factors like pH, equilibration time, reusability, and detection limit.

A new optical sensor for spectrophotometric determination of uranium (VI) and thorium (IV) in acidic medium

A spectrophotometric method was developed for U(VI) and Th(IV) determination in acidic medium by using proposed optical sensor. This sensor is base on the complexation reaction of the ionophore midodrine hydrochloride (L) with U(VI)/Th(IV) in plasticized (o-NPOE) high molecular weight (PVC). Several parameters such as effect of acidic medium, response time and sensor compositions were studied. The determination of the complexes stoichiometry was also studied using Job’s method. The complexes stoichiometry were measured at the absorbance spectra 302 nm and the results were found to be 1:1 for both complexes U(VI)-L and Th(IV)-L. The complexation reaction was extremely rapid at room temperature; it takes 5, 10 min to complete the complexation reaction in U(VI) and Th(IV), respectively. Under the optimum conditions the calibration curves of U(VI)/Th(IV) determination, have good linearity at different acidic medium nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids with low detection and quantification limits. The accuracy and precision studies proved that the proposed optical sensor is valid and qualified for U(VI)/Th(IV) spectrophotometric determination in different acidic medium. The selectivity of the proposed optical sensor was studied. The proposed optical sensor was applied successfully for U(VI)/Th(IV) determination in research and development (R&D) nuclear waste samples with satisfactory results. A comparative study of the proposed optical sensor with other previous spectrophotometric sensors for U(VI)/Th(IV) determination, proved the high efficiency of the proposed optical sensor, that it presents wide linear range and low detection limit. The proposed optical sensor could be applied for a quantitative determination of U(VI)/Th(IV) in acidic waste samples.

Selectivity enhancement of Arsenazo(III) reagent towards heavier lanthanides using polyaminocarboxylic acids: a spectrophotometric study

A new study has been conducted to quantify lanthanide(III) ions using Arsenazo III-polyaminocarboxylic acid (PACA) system. The study disclosed two different analytically important information: (i) λmax of lanthanide-Arsenazo III complexes for lighter lanthanides like Ce(III) and Nd(III) did not shift from its original position on addition of PACA and (ii) for heavier lanthanides like Dy(III), Tm(III) and Lu(III) a new λmax at 538 nm was observed, while wavelengths at 610 nm and 654 nm were disappeared in presence of ethylenediaminetertracetic acid (EDTA) and trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (DCTA), further the intensity of peak decreased with increase in lanthanide(III) ion concentration. Effect of ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (EDTA-OH) on Arsenzo(III)-Ln(III) complex is very weak and there is no analytically importance of such interaction. Moreover, this work confirms that Nd(III) and heavy lanthanides can be successfully determined with high accuracy in the working range of concentration of these metal ions.