When actinide processing solutions are analyzed spectroscopically, they often exhibit deviations from linear Beer's Law behavior.  For example, changes in solution acidity or concentration of certain anions will change the distribution of actinide complexes, altering the absorption spectrum.  The deviations can be addressed through multivariate spectroscopy and chemometric analysis.  However, there are monitoring scenarios where spectrophotometry is not feasible.  Budget constraints or issues with legacy equipment and maintenance can force the use of filter photometers, which produce a univariate measurement. Using the right filters can reduce the sensitivity to process conditions and simulate some of the advantages of the multivariate approach.  We describe a computational technique to predict colorimeter performance and its use to develop a method to analyze Pu(IV) nitrate solutions under a wide span of nitric acid and Pu concentrations.  We discuss the improved robustness of this method as well as specific examples of its limitations.

Colorimetry of Pu process solutions � getting the most out of univariate measurements

245th National Meeting (2013)

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