Development of a rapid procedure for the measurement of uranium in drinking water by PERALSR spectrometry

A new method has been developed for the measurement of U in water samples by selective and quantitative extraction from DTPA solution into an extractive scintillator containing HDEHP and alpha-counting by PERALSR spectrometry. Because this method offers several advantages over the current EPA and ASTM standard test methods for U in drinking water, including speed, simplicity and isotopic information, it has been proposed as a new ASTM standard test method. Sample preparation requires from 1-4 h. Less than 0.5% of Am, Pu, Po, Ra and Th were found to extract under the prescribed conditions. Typical backgrounds are ≤ 0.01 cpm. A comparison of this method with EPA standard method 908.0 and the results of two interlaboratory test of this method are reported. (author)