Application of high performance liquid chromatography to the analysis of nuclear materials

A small-particle (13 μm) styrene-divinylbenzene cation-exchange resin has been used for the separation and determination of trace metals in nuclear materials such as steels, Ni-Cr-Fe alloys, zirconium, and uranium. The eluted metal ions, which included Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, were monitored with a variable wavelength detector after a post-column reaction with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol. The metal ions were determined at 10-4 to 1% (w/w) levels by direct injection of solutions of the materials. Interference from uranium, due to the reaction between uranium and the reagent used for detection, was removed either with a masking agent or by a coupled-column technique. 9 figures, 3 tables