Solvent extraction method for determination of plutonium in soft tissue

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Anal. Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac50024a046· OSTI ID:5200702

Singh, N P; Ibrahim, S A; Cohen, N; Wrenn, M E

A simple, quick, and accurate method has been developed for the determination of plutonium isotopes in soft tissues. First /sup 242/Pu tracer is added and then the tissues are digested using concentrated nitric acid followed by a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. Plutonium is then coprecipitated with iron carrier after the addition of ammonium hydroxide. The precipitate is dissolved in HNO/sub 3/ (1 : 1) after complete removal of sulfate ions and the acidity adjusted to 3 M. Plutonium is maintained in the +4 valence state and extracted twice with 25 percent trilaurylamine in xylene (pre-equilibrated with 3M nitric acid). The organic phase is washed twice with equal volumes in 10 M HCl to remove traces of thorium and then with HNO/sub 3/ to remove iron and uranium. Plutonium is then scrubbed from the trilaurylamine phase two times with 2 M H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, evaporated almost to dryness, electrodeposited onto a platinum planchet, and counted by alpha spectrometry with a surface barrier silicon diode. The final recovery ranged from 49 to 85 percent with a mean of 61 percent.

• Research Organization: New York Univ. Medical Center, NY
• OSTI ID: 5200702
• Journal Information: Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 50:2; ISSN ANCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400103* -- Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures-- (-1987)
400105 -- Separation Procedures
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM HYDROXIDES
AROMATICS
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COPRECIPITATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXTRACTION
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INORGANIC ACIDS
ISOTOPES
METALS
NITRIC ACID
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM 242
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PRECIPITATION
RADIOISOTOPES
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFURIC ACID
TISSUES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
TRILAURYLAMINE
XYLENES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES