Rapid Actinide Column Extraction Methods for Bioassay Samples

Book · Tue Jan 14 04:00:00 EST 2003

OSTI ID:807128

Maxwell, S L

A new, rapid separation method to assay actinides in urine samples has been developed at the Westinghouse Savannah River Site (SRS). The new method separates plutonium, neptunium, uranium, americium and strontium-90 with high chemical recovery and excellent thorium removal. The method uses calcium phosphate precipitation and stacked TEVA Resin(R) and TRU Resin(R) cartridges to separate and purify the actinides. Plutonium and neptunium are separated on TEVA Resin(R), while uranium and americium are simultaneously retained and separated on TRU Resin(R). Plutonium-236 tracer can be used to allow simultaneous separation and measurement of both plutonium and neptunium using TEVA Resin(R). Strontium-90 can also be separated on Sr Resin(R) by evaporating and redissolving load and rinse solutions collected from the TEVA/TRU column and separating strontium on Sr-Resin(R). Fast flow rates are achieved by using small particle size resin cartridges and a vacuum box separation system that will separate 24 samples at a time. This unique approach can be used with urine samples because iron is not present at significant levels in urine and plutonium reduction is accomplished without adding iron (II) to the sample. The advantage of this approach is that actinides can be loaded onto two separate resins in a single load step with simultaneous extraction and assay of neptunium and plutonium with high chemical recovery and excellent removal of matrix interferences.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 807128
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-2002-00997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
AMERICIUM
BIOASSAY
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
NEPTUNIUM
PLUTONIUM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STRONTIUM 90
THORIUM
URANIUM
URINE