US EPA

3439294 

Journal Article 

Determination of Plutonium Present in Highly Radioactive Irradiated Fuel Solution by Spectrophotometric Method 

Dhamodharan, K; Pius, A 

2016 

1 

Nuclear Engineering and Technology
ISSN: 1738-5733 

48 

3 

727-732 

10.1016/j.net.2016.01.022 

WOS:000377974800014 

A simple and rapid spectrophotometric method has been developed to enable the determination of plutonium concentration in an irradiated fuel solution in the presence of all fission products. An excess of ceric ammonium nitrate solution was employed to oxidize all the valence states of plutonium to +6 oxidation state. Interference due to the presence of fission products such as ruthenium and zirconium, and corrosion products such as iron in the envisaged concentration range, as in the irradiated fuel solution, was studied in the determination of plutonium concentration by the direct spectrophotometric method. The stability of plutonium in +6 oxidation state was monitored under experimental conditions as a function of time. Results obtained are reproducible, and this method is applicable to radioactive samples resulting before the solvent extraction process during the reprocessing of fast reactor spent fuel. An analysis of the concentration of plutonium shows a relative standard deviation of <1.2% in standard as well as in simulated conditions. This reflects the fast reactor fuel composition with respect to uranium, plutonium, fission products such as ruthenium and zirconium, and corrosion products such as iron. Copyright (C) 2016, Published by Elsevier Korea LLC on behalf of Korean Nuclear Society. 

Ceric Ammonium Nitrate; Mixed Carbide Fuel; Plutonium Determination; Spectrophotometric Method