A catalytic method for the determination of cobalt impurities in reactor cooling-water circuits.
Metal impurities in reactor cooling-water circuits must be kept to a minimum. A method is described for the determination of trace levels of cobalt in water samples, based on catalysis of the hydrogen peroxide oxidation of Alizarin Red S. The determination is carried out at pH 11.0 in a phosphate buffer under conditions where the reaction rate is a maximum. Interfering impurities are removed by an ion-exchange separation. The method enables cobalt to be determined in water samples down to 10(-4)mug ml , or 5 x 10(-5)mug ml in samples where an ion-exchange separation is not required.
Batley
G E
GE
Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Research Establishment, Lucas Heights N.S.W.Australia.