Radioactive uranium measurement in vivo using a handheld interfaced analyzer

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 μg/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. © 2010 SETAC.