INTRODUCTION

Uranium in water can pose a risk to human health due to its chemical toxicity, which primarily affects the kidneys and may lead to renal damage. Even at low concentrations, uranium requires reliable techniques to be measured in drinking water and environmental samples.

Lumex Instruments has developed an accurate method for the phosphorimetric determination of uranium in water using Fluorat-02-4M analyzer. This method offers high sensitivity without the need for expensive instrumentation and tedious sample preparation.

METHOD

To determine uranium in water, the phosphorescence intensity of uranyl-ions (λ=530 nm) excited by ultraviolet radiation is measured.,Sodium polysilicate (pH=8–10) is added to enhance luminescence intensity. Interfering influence caused by luminescence is eliminated by using the special mode of Fluorat-02-4M with a time gap between excitation impulse and photons counting.

When phosphorescence intensity is measured the result is displayed as uranium content in water presented in μg/L.

Sample should be preserved by adding concentrated nitric acid; after that sample can be stored for 1 month.