Radioactive uranium measurement in vivo using a handheld interfaced analyzer

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2010 May;29(5):1025-30. doi: 10.1002/etc.131.

Abstract

A trace uranium (U) detection method was developed with a handheld voltammetric analyzer that was the size of a mobile phone, with working sensors made of simple graphite pencil electrode (PE). The optimum stripping voltammetric conditions were sought, and the following results were obtained: 0.0 to 0.08 ng/L working ranges and a statistically relative standard deviation of 1.78% (RSD; n=15) at a 10.0 microg/L U spike. The experiment accumulation time used was only 150 s. Under this condition, the diagnostic detection limit approached 0.007 ng/L. The method was applied to soil of a natural rock in a radioactive mineralogy site. Earthworms that resided at this site were assayed. The method was found to be applicable in biological diagnosis or in real-time in vivo survey.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electrochemistry / instrumentation*
  • Electrochemistry / methods
  • Electrodes
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Oligochaeta
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Uranium / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive / chemistry*

Substances

  • Water Pollutants, Radioactive
  • Uranium