Phosphorous determination in nuclear reactor materials: dysprosium titanate, titanium dioxide and uranium oxide

Abstract

A reliable analytical methodology is developed to determine phosphorus as phosphate in nuclear matrices viz uranium oxide, TiO₂ and dysprosium titanate by spectrophotometric molybdenum blue method. Refractory matrices (TiO₂ and dysprosium titanate) are dissolved employing microwave technique. Calibration is linear in the concentration range from 0.1 to 1.0 ppm of phosphorous with r² better than 0.9989. LOD obtained is 0.03 ppm. Method and instrumental RSD is 1 and 0.3%, respectively at 0.33 ppm level. Recovery of P at 0.33 ppm level is better than 95%. The developed method is validated by comparing results obtained by ion chromatography.