EDXRF determination of Dy, Eu, Gd and Sm in aqueous solutions

1052-1055An EDXRF technique for the determination of four important rare earth impurities, viz., Eu, Dy, Sm and Gd, at 20-1000 g/ml in aqueous medium as well as in the presence of uranium has been reported. The conditions have been optimized for the simultaneous determination of these elements. The limits of detection for the analytes in aqueous solutions are determined to be 20 g/ml. In order to achieve lower limits of detection, a novel method based on polyvinyl alcohol films containing these rare earths has been established. Four uranium oxide samples have been analysed by EDXRF as well as inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry after chemical separation of uranium. The results are in good agreement