On-site low-cost robust and sensitive uranium analysis in water reservoirs and waste solutions by a simple spectrophotometer

The analysis of uranium content in the waste solution of a nuclear facility is of great importance due to its environmental and process implications. The current research was focused specifically on the development of a low-cost analytical kit for a simple, accurate and robust on-site determination of uranium concentration, in typical process waste solutions. 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (Br-PADAP) was used as the complexant to specifically bond the uranium in the process solution, following by identification of the resulting fluorescence, using a simple mobile low-cost spectrometer. The overall developed analytical procedure is extremely simple, and can be applied on-site, by non-trained personnel, eliminating the need for transferring samples to the laboratory. Comprehensive research was dedicated to identification of key parameters affecting the analytical procedure, following by careful and precise optimization of these parameters, to allow for robust and simple field implantation. The procedure was validated on solutions containing 0–50 mg/L of uranium, presenting 0.05 mg/L limit of detection, and 10% accuracy.