Colorimetric detection of actinides
AssigneeU.S. Department of Energy
InventorsCatherine Riddle, Rick L. Demmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for rapid detection of actinides including the steps of having a support including a colorimetric complexation, placing the support in communication with a sample through urinalysis, and receiving a visual indicator from the colorimetric complexation. The sample having an unknown concentration of at least one actinide within it. The colorimetric complexation is configured to activate when contacted by a threshold concentration of an actinide.
Claims20
A method for rapid detection of actinides, the method comprising:
- a) having a support including a colorimetric complexation, wherein the colorimetric complexation is a hybrid combination of 2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(diethylaminolphenol (Br-PADAP) and 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN), the colorimetric complexation configured to activate when contacted by at least one actinide;
- b) placing the support in communication with a sample through urinalysis, the sample having an unknown concentration of at least one actinide within it;
- c) activating the colorimetric complexation when contacted by the at least one actinide, and
- d) receiving one or more visual indicators from the colorimetric complexation on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of the actinide, the visual indicators including a first visual indicator that is configured to produce a purple color on reaction with the sample on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of uranium and a second visual indicator that is configured to produce a non-purple color on reaction with the sample on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of an actinide that is plutonium, the first visual indicator and the second visual indicator being visible to a naked eye.
A method for rapid detection of actinides in a contamination, where the actinides are present in the concentration on the order of parts-per-billion, the method comprising:
- a) having a support including a colorimetric complexation, wherein the colorimetric complexation is a hybrid combination of 2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(diethylamino)phenol(Br-PADAP) and 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN), the colorimetric complexation configured to activate when contacted by a threshold concentration of at least one actinide;
- b) separating a sample separated from the contamination;
- c) placing the support in communication with the sample through urinalysis, the sample having an unknown concentration of at least one actinide within it;
- d) activating the colorimetric complexation when contacted by the at least one actinide, and
- e) receiving one or more visual indicators within about 5 minutes of the support communicating with the sample from the colorimetric complexation on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of the actinide, the visual indicators including a first visual indicator that is configured to change to a purple color on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of uranium and a second visual indicator that is configured to produce a non-purple color on a condition that the sample contains at least a threshold concentration of an actinide that is plutonium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.