Thermo Fisher Scientific has a new method to determine trace fluoride, chloride, and sulfate in simulated borated waters containing lithium. Expanding on the company’s previous work, Application Update 191: Determination of Trace Fluoride, Chloride, and Sulfate in Lithium-Containing Borated Waters extends the determination of anions in high-purity water to lithium-containing borated waters. This updated method also simplifies sample loading by replacing a manual loading with an autosampler.

Nuclear power plants are an important source of electrical energy, and for those using pressurized water reactors, boron and lithium hydroxide must be added. Boron, added to the reactor coolant in the form of boric acid, serves as a neutron absorber to control the nuclear reactivity in the primary reactor. Lithium hydroxide is added to the coolant to achieve the desired pH, which is crucial in maintaining the system to avoid corrosion of the fuel rod cladding. Because trace anionic impurities in borated waters can catalyze corrosion, monitoring the concentrations of trace anions is important to reduce the risks associated with nuclear power plant operation and to maintain plant reliability.

This application update and many others can be found at www.thermoscientific.com/dionex under the Documents tab.