Rj. Rosenberg, DETERMINATION OF TRANSITION-METALS IN NUCLEAR-REACTOR WATERS - A REVIEW, Journal of trace and microprobe techniques, 14(2), 1996, pp. 325-341
There is a need to study the transition metal concentrations in the pr
imary coolant of nuclear reactors. The very low concentrations of espe
cially cobalt, down to 0.5 ng/l in some pressurised water reactors, bu
t also iron, manganese and nickel, and the high boric acid concentrati
ons in pressurised water reactors, render the sampling and analysis pr
oblematic. There is considerable doubt: about the possibility of getti
ng representative samples. In most cases the water samples have to be
preconcentrated, usually by chelating chromatography or cation filters
. A number of different analytical techniques have been used. The by f
ar most published results have been determined with on-line ion chroma
tography. Other methods used are atomic absorption spectrophotometry,
usually the graphite furnace variant, inductively coupled plasma atomi
c emission- and mass spectrometry, neutron activation analysis, X-ray
fluorescence and voltammetry. The methods are discussed with special e
mphasise on the detection limits.