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A remote conductometric titration method for simultaneous determination of uranium and nitric acid concentrations at elevated temperatures

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Abstract

The determination of free acidity and uranium in a radioactive uranyl nitrate solution inside a hot cell has to be done remotely. It generally involves the addition of complexing agents or the application of sophisticated analytical methods and modelling. To make the analyses uncomplicated, a simple acid–base conductometric titration method was developed to determine the free acidity and the uranium concentration simultaneously. Uranyl nitrate solutions containing nitric acid from 0.02 to 0.83 mmol and uranium from 0.32 to 15.90 mg per aliquot were determined by this method. The precision and accuracy of the method were found to be within ± 5%. For the titrations carried out at higher temperatures, the bias was found to be within ± 10%.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are highly indebted and extended their sincere thanks to Dr K. Anandhasivan, Outstanding Scientist, Director, Reprocessing Group, IGCAR for his valuable suggestion and guidance during this work. The contributions of Smt. C. Shibina, Shri. Sathya Narayan Das, Smt. M. Usha of P&RCD during experimental works are sincerely acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reprocessing Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    Seshadri Parthasarathy & R. V. Subbarao

  2. Department of Chemistry, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600119, India

    Seshadri Parthasarathy

  3. Centre for Ocean Research, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600119, India

    V . Ganesh Kumar

  4. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    R. V. Subbarao

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  1. Seshadri Parthasarathy
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  2. V . Ganesh Kumar
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  3. R. V. Subbarao
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Correspondence to V . Ganesh Kumar.

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Parthasarathy, S., . Ganesh Kumar, V. & Subbarao, R.V. A remote conductometric titration method for simultaneous determination of uranium and nitric acid concentrations at elevated temperatures. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327, 1087–1093 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07581-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07581-z

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