Trace element determinations in uranium by total reflection X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry using polychromatic X‐ray excitation

• Published in: X-ray spectrometry Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 277 - 282
• Main Authors: Kanrar, Buddhadev, Sanyal, Kaushik, Misra, Nand Lal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2017
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Aqueous solutions; Detection limits; Excitation spectra; Ions; Mathematical analysis; Reference materials; Solvent extraction; Spectrometry; Trace elements; Uranium; Water analysis; X ray reflection; X-ray fluorescence
• ISSN: 0049-8246; 1097-4539
• DOI: 10.1002/xrs.2771

Suitability of polychromatic X‐rays has been assessed for the total reflection X‐ray fluorescence (TXRF) trace elemental determinations in aqueous solutions as well as uranium oxide certified reference materials. The method involves total reflection of X‐rays below a certain energy level on the TXRF sample support and exciting the analytes present in ng amount on these supports, measuring the TXRF spectra, processing the spectra, and finally determining the elemental concentrations. For uranium‐based samples, the samples were dissolved, main matrix uranium was separated from these solutions using solvent extraction, and trace elements were determined using aqueous phase following above approach. The method is simple and easier to implement compared with the monochromatic excitation but has similar or in some cases better detection limits compared with those obtained using monochromatic excitation. The details of the methodology, quality of analytical results, and detection limits are described and compared with those obtained using monochromatic excitation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.