Sequential analysis of uranium and plutonium in environmental matrices by extractive liquid scintillation spectrometry

A methodology for sequential separation of uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) followed by their estimation, using extractive liquid scintillation spectrometry was standardized for matrices like soil, fish and sediment. Various parameters for selective and efficient extraction and separation of Pu and U in the presence of interfering matrix elements with HDEHP bis(2-ethylhexy1) phosphoric acid as an extracting agent were investigated. Quenching effect of the various extracting reagents on resolution of α spectrum of analytes and reduction in these interferences is discussed in the current study. Standardized procedure gave about 91% of extraction of spiked Pu into the organic phase. Performance of the method was tested by separating and estimating U and Pu in International Atomic Agency (IAEA) certified reference materials like soil/sediment/fish.