Optimization of ICP-OES’S parameters for uranium analysis of rock samples

Abstract Currently, the quantitative analysis methods for uranium that are widely used in laboratories, such as the volumetric method and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) cannot achieve low cost, simple operation, and little influence by other elements. The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) has a wide linear range, and high stability, and can be used to identify multiple elements simultaneously. However, when ICP-OES is used for quantitative analysis of uranium, the settings for the RF power, nebulizer flow, and pump rate can affect the analysis results. In this work, these parameters were carefully optimized for identifying uranium. Based on experiments, we selected two spectrum peaks 409.014 nm and 424.167 nm for quantitative analysis with the lowest interference. The optimal parameters obtained are atomizer flow rate of 0.75 L/min, a sample pumping rate of 1.6 mL/min, and a high-frequency power of 1400 W. Then we compared the accuracy of the volumetric method, ICP-MS method and ICP-OES method with the optimized parameter for analysis of experimental samples and references. The results showed that the ICP-OES with the optimized parameters proposed in this paper can be used to perform a convenient, quick, and efficient quantitative analysis of uranium in minerals.