Application of Tertiary Amine Extraction to the Determination of Uranium in Biological Materials

Abstract

Abstract

An analytical solvent extraction procedure for the separation of uranium from biological materials is described. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of urinary excreta from personnel involved in the processing of irradiated thorium. Following coprecipitation on alkaline earth phosphates, uranium is purified from its daughter products by liquid-liquid extraction from acid-deficient aluminum nitrate solution using the tertiary amine, alamine-336. Scrubbing of the organic phase with hydrochloric acid removes thorium and other daughter products which can be recovered by other separation schemes. Following back extraction and evaporation to dryness, the uranium can be directly plated for total alpha counting or alpha energy analysis, or aliquots of the solution may be taken for fluorometric analysis. Application of the procedure to the determination of uranium in tissue is also discussed.