Polarographic behaviour of uranium beta-diketonates in chloroform Application of ac polarography to the analysis of uranium minerals.

The polarographic behaviour of U(VI) beta-diketonates has been studied in chloroform. The conditions for reversible electrochemical reduction of U(VI) acetylacetonate and benzoylacetonate at a dropping mercury electrode was optimized by using a suitable ratio of piperidinium perchlorate and piperidine mixture as supporting electrolyte in chloroform. The one-electron nature of the reduction wave of U(VI) complexes was confirmed by controlled potential coulometry. The ac method preceded by a solvent extraction of U(VI) benzoylacetonate in chloroform was used for the determination of uranium. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.5-20 mu/ml. The correlation coefficient was 0.9998 and the detection limit was about 0.2 mu/ml. The interference of some concomitant ions were examined and EDTA was used as an effective masking agent to separate uranium from other metals. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of uranium in uranium minerals.