A comparative study of pulsed-laser fluorimetric and radiochemical determination of uranium in a urinalysis program

A method utilizing a pulsed-laser fluorimeter for the determination of trace levels of uranium in urine is evaluated as an alternative to the radiochemical separation and alpha spectrometric measurement of the element. The pulsed-laser fluorimeter is a compact electro-optical instrument which measures the fluorescence of a uranyl complex formed by adding an analytical reagent to the sample. Fluorescence of the uranyl complex is the result of ultraviolet excitation generated by a nitrogen laser tube. Sample preparation requires the complete oxidation of all organics which could contribute to the fluorescence signal. Results from the analysis of pooled and artificial urine by both methods are compared. The accuracy of each method is comparable for those experiments. Additional work is in progress to determine the feasibility of using the pulsed-laser fluorimetric method in a urinalysis feasibility of using the pulsed-laser fluorimetric method in a urinalysis program. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are reviewed