Next Article in Journal
Study on Production System Optimization and Productivity Prediction of Deep Coalbed Methane Wells Considering Thermal–Hydraulic–Mechanical Coupling Effects
Previous Article in Journal
Waste to Value: L-Asparaginase Production from Agro-Industrial Residues
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Processes
Volume 13
Issue 10
10.3390/pr13103089
processes-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Analysis of Trace Rare Earth Elements in Uranium-Bearing Nuclear Materials

by
Ziao Li
1,2,
Yang Shao
1,*,
Futao Xin
1,
Chun Li
3,
Jilong Zhang
3,
Xi Li
3,
Min Luo
1,
Diandou Xu
1 and
Lingling Ma
1,*
1
Beijing Engineering Research Center of Radiographic Techniques and Equipment, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
2
School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3
State Nuclear Security Technology Center, Beijing 102401, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2025, 13(10), 3089; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103089
Submission received: 12 August 2025 / Revised: 13 September 2025 / Accepted: 18 September 2025 / Published: 26 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Materials Processes)
Browse Figure
Versions Notes

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REEs) have significant application value in the quality control of nuclear materials and in traceability research in nuclear forensics. Methods were developed for the determination of REEs in uranium-bearing nuclear materials. The digestion parameters for uranium oxides and uranium ores, such as the digestion acid, digestion temperature, and digestion time, were optimized and reported. The optimized digestion parameters for uranium oxides were 2 mL HNO3 at 160 °C for 3 h, and those for uranium ores were 7 mL mixed acid (HNO3–HClO4–HF = 5:5:3) at 180 °C for 36 h. Two digestion methods were demonstrated to be effective for the quantitative recovery of REEs. The suitable system and specifications for different resin columns were investigated to achieve a high decontamination factor of U (105) by UTEVA resin. The corresponding loading system was 10 mL 4 M HNO3, and the elution system was 6 mL 4 M HNO3. Additionally, the analysis of ultra-trace REEs in high-uranium matrices was accomplished using two UTEVA resins. The developed methods were subjected to the Cochran test and the Grubbs test, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for all REEs was below 6%. In uranium oxide samples with different spiked amounts, the recovery of REEs exceeded 80% in all cases, and the RSDs were all less than 10%. The method’s detection limits were below 10 ppt for all REEs (except for Ce), ensuring the accurate measurement of REEs in uranium-bearing nuclear materials.
Keywords: trace rare earth element; high-uranium matrix; digestion conditions; separation conditions; ICP-MS trace rare earth element; high-uranium matrix; digestion conditions; separation conditions; ICP-MS
Graphical Abstract

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, Z.; Shao, Y.; Xin, F.; Li, C.; Zhang, J.; Li, X.; Luo, M.; Xu, D.; Ma, L. Analysis of Trace Rare Earth Elements in Uranium-Bearing Nuclear Materials. Processes 2025, 13, 3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103089

AMA Style

Li Z, Shao Y, Xin F, Li C, Zhang J, Li X, Luo M, Xu D, Ma L. Analysis of Trace Rare Earth Elements in Uranium-Bearing Nuclear Materials. Processes. 2025; 13(10):3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103089

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Ziao, Yang Shao, Futao Xin, Chun Li, Jilong Zhang, Xi Li, Min Luo, Diandou Xu, and Lingling Ma. 2025. "Analysis of Trace Rare Earth Elements in Uranium-Bearing Nuclear Materials" Processes 13, no. 10: 3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103089

APA Style

Li, Z., Shao, Y., Xin, F., Li, C., Zhang, J., Li, X., Luo, M., Xu, D., & Ma, L. (2025). Analysis of Trace Rare Earth Elements in Uranium-Bearing Nuclear Materials. Processes, 13(10), 3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13103089

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop