This paper proposes a rapid X-ray fluorescence (XRF)-based screening method for the determination of trace uranium in solutions. In this method, uranium present in a solution was adsorbed onto graphene oxide (GO), which was collected and subjected to XRF analysis. Upon increasing the sodium ion concentration, the aggregation of GO was promoted, facilitating its collection. Since the GO-collecting membrane filter was significantly larger than the X-ray irradiation field of the XRF spectrometer, it was folded to 1/3 of its original length and width. The folded membrane filter was sealed to prevent uranium from

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In the event of uranium release into the environment due to an accident, confirming the presence of uranium contamination is difficult because uranium is a naturally occurring element. In this study, we developed a method based on X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for the facile screening of uranium in brackish water samples in the event of an accident in a coastal area. Graphene oxide nanosheets were added to uncontaminated brackish water sampled from different sites to adsorb the uranium present in the samples, if any. The graphene oxide nanosheets were then collected using a membrane filter and analyzed using XRF. The results revealed that the signal intensity of the U Lα peak was proportional to the salinity. Hence, uranium contamination could be confirmed when the intensity of the U Lα peak was significantly greater than that derived from the background uranium content, as estimated from the salinity value. Thus, in the event of an accident, the salinity of the collected brackish water should be measured, and XRF analysis should be performed using our developed method. This method is useful for screening brackish water for uranium contamination.