DETERMINATION OF MICROGRAM AMOUNTS OF URANIUM IN THORIUM BY DIFFERENTIAL-PULSE POLAROGRAPHY

A differential-pulse polarographic (DPP) method for the determination of uranium(VI) in the presence of a large excess of thorium without an y prior separation of the latter is described. Disodium ethylenediamin etetraacetate and sodium carbonate-hydrogencarbonate buffer (pH 10) wa s used as the supporting electrolyte. The interference of several impu rities expected in the Thorex process while processing irradiated thor ium was overcome by using the above supporting electrolyte. A relative standard deviation of 2.4% for the determination of uranium at the 5 ppm level was obtained. The uranium(VI) values obtained by the propose d DPP method were compared with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.