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Ultratrace analysis of transuranic actinides by laser-induced fluorescence

  • US 4,724,217 A
  • Filed: 03/21/1986
  • Issued: 02/09/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting ultratrace quantities of weakly or non-fluorescing transuranic actinides in water, the method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) copreciptating an actinide in a water sample with host precursor materials to form a precipitate, the precipitate comprising a preselected host material which includes at least one fluorescent component species having a near resonant energy level with the actinide and whose fluorescence is quenched or sensitized by the actinide;

    (b) illuminating the precipitate with laser light of a preselected wavelength, said wavelength being selected in the case of sensitizing by the actinide to excite the actinide to a level above and sufficiently close to the near resonant energy level of the at least one fluorescent component species to cause substantial nonradiative decay from the actinide to the near resonant energy level, said wavelength being selected in the case of quenching by the actinide to excite the at least one fluorescent component species to the near resonant energy level, so that the at least one fluoroescent component species is caused to fluoresce and energy is transferred between the near resonant energy level of the at least one fluorescent component species and the actinide;

    (c) measuring a difference in intensity between the fluorescence of the at least one fluorescent component species which has been quenched or sensitized by the actinide from the sample and the fluorescence of the at least one fluorescent component species in at least one standard, said at least one standard having been prepared with a known concentration of the actinide; and

    (d) determining the concentration of the actinide in the sample by relating the difference in the fluorescence intensity to quantitative differences between the concentration of the actinide in the sample and the concentrations of the actinide in said at least one standard.

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