Development of a rapid method for extraction of uranium from uranium bearing materials using ionic liquid as...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Accurate uranium determination is crucial for nuclear forensics and emergency preparedness.
• Existing methods for uranium analysis can be time-consuming and require complex sample preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid and efficient method for direct uranium determination.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of ionic liquid extraction for uranium analysis in diverse matrices.
• To assess the applicability of the method for real-world nuclear forensic and emergency scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Uranium extraction from aqueous samples using the hydrophobic ionic liquid Aliquat-336 thiosalicylate ([A-336][TS]) in a basic medium.
• Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for direct uranium determination.
• Re-extraction of uranium with nitric acid followed by electroplating for alpha spectrometry.
• Optimization of extraction parameters including pH, volume, and uranium concentration.

Main Results:

• Maximum uranium extraction efficiency near pH 8-11 was achieved.
• Re-extraction and electroplating yielded a maximum efficiency of 80%.
• High extraction efficiency (approx. 85%) observed for Uranium ore concentrate (UOC) and U-metal samples.
• Lower extraction efficiency (less than 40%) for U-ore samples due to higher impurity levels.

Conclusions:

• The developed method provides a rapid and direct determination of uranium.
• Ionic liquid extraction is effective for uranium analysis, particularly in samples with low impurity levels.
• The technique is suitable for quick initial assessment and isotopic analysis in nuclear forensic and emergency situations.