Direct determination of uranium traces by adsorptive stripping voltammetry

Ultratrace concentrations of uranium(VI) have been determined using adsorptive stripping voltammetry of the uranium-chloranilic acid complex (2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone). The detection limit was calculated to 24 ng/l. The most significant advantage of the method described is its ease of application to the analysis of natural water and drainage water from a uranium slag heap. Alternating current investigations have been carried out to study the adsorption process. An explanation has been found for the absence of interferences from organic surfactants. The potential at which the adsorption peak occurred, due to the complex of uranium with chloranilic acid was found to be identical with the optimum accumulation potential.