Application of capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection for the determination of trace neodymium in spent nuclear fuel using complexation with an emissive macrocyclic polyaminocarboxylate probe

Anal Sci. 2014;30(7):773-6. doi: 10.2116/analsci.30.773.

Abstract

A simple and rapid method with low radiation exposure risk was developed for the determination of neodymium in spent nuclear fuel by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection using a fluorescent probe having a macrocyclic hexadentate polyaminocarboxylate structure. The concentration of Nd(III) in a spent nuclear fuel sample was determined with no interference from various matrix elements, including lanthanides and uranium (at a 200-fold excess), with 92 ± 3% recovery. This is due to high resolution based on establishing a ternary complex equilibrium during migration in which the hydroxyl ion plays an auxiliary role (log K(Ln-L-OH) = 3.9-5.3).