Separation of no-carrier-added 109Cd from natural silver target using RTIL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate

The room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C₄mim][PF₆] has various applications in the separation of a range of metal ions replacing volatile and toxic traditional organic solvents in liquid–liquid extraction systems. In this study, the RTIL [C₄mim][PF₆] was used to separate no-carrier-added (NCA) ¹⁰⁹Cd from α-particle irradiated Ag target. A natural Ag foil was bombarded by 30 MeV α-particles to produce ¹⁰⁹Cd. After the decay of all co-produced short-lived products, NCA ¹⁰⁹Cd was separated from the bulk Ag using [C₄mim][PF₆] as extractant from HNO₃ medium. Ammoniumpyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) was used as a complexing agent. At the optimum condition, 3 M HNO₃, 0.01 M APDC in presence of [C₄mim][PF₆], ~99 % bulk Ag was extracted to the IL phase, leaving NCA ¹⁰⁹Cd in the aqueous phase. The amount of Ag became negligibly small after re-extraction in the same condition. The ionic liquid was recovered by washing it with 1 M HCl.     

Ionic liquid-salt based aqueous biphasic system for separation of 109Cd from silver target

Aqueous biphasic system (ABS) is greener alternative to the conventional liquid liquid extraction as ABS does not involve any organic or volatile reagents. Generally ABS systems are composed of polymer and salt rich phases. In this paper a new ABS system is proposed replacing polymer rich phase by water soluble room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride ([bmim]Cl) and kosmotropic salt K₂HPO₄. The system has been applied to separate the no-carrier-added (NCA) ¹⁰⁹Cd (T _1/2 = 462.6 days) from the α-particle irradiated bulk Ag target. The optimum separation condition was achieved with the addition of 6 M HNO₃ to the ABS, where ~87 % of the bulk Ag was extracted in the IL phase, leaving ~96 % NCA ¹⁰⁹Cd in the salt rich phase. The salt rich phase was re-extracted twice with the RTIL to free from bulk Ag. This process achieved an overall separation of 91 % NCA ¹⁰⁹Cd free from bulk Ag. The developed method demonstrates minimum requirement of RTIL to carry out the separation. The method is environmentally benign and cost effective.     

A109Cd/109mAg generator

Sorption of Cd and Ag by a cation exchange resin has been studied at different molarities of nitric acid. The sorption capacity of Cd on a cation exchanger has been determined. A¹⁰⁹Cd/^109mAg generator is suggested, based on the sorption of Cd on AG 50W-X8 organic cation exchanger at 0.01M HNO₃.^109mAg is eluted with 0.2M NaCl, physiologically compatible for human use.     

Radiochemical separation of 109Cd from a silver target

A radiochemical separation method was developed for the separation of ¹⁰⁹Cd from a ^nat.Ag target (6.6 g, pressed into a 19 mm disc). The method comprised of two stages. In the first stage, after dissolution of the target in nitric acid, silver was separated from Cd by precipitation into the metallic form using 20 g of Cu turnings for the reduction of Ag⁺ ions. In the second stage, ¹⁰⁹Cd in the filtrate, that contained trace amount of silver and substantial quantity of Cu(I), was purified by use of a Bio-Rad AG1-X10 anion-exchange resin. The ion-exchange chromatography employed a column with (1.6 cm i.d. and 4 cm length) with a flow rate of 2 ml/min throughout the separation. ¹⁰⁹Cd was quantitatively recovered from the first stage and the recovery yield from the ion-exchange chromatography was greater than 96%. 2M HCl containing H₂O₂ was used for the adsorption of ¹⁰⁹Cd and elution of Cu. ¹⁰⁹Cd was eluted by 50 ml 1M HNO₃. The concentrations of stable isotopes of Ag and Cu in the final solution (5 ml 0.05M HCl) were measured by an ICP-OES method and found to be <1 ppm.     

Separation of no-carrier-added 113,117mSn and 113m,114mIn from alpha particle irradiated natural cadmium target

A natural cadmium foil was irradiated by 42 MeV α-particles to produce ^113,117mSn, ^{111,113m,114m}In simultaneously in the target matrix. After the complete decay of short lived radionuclides, long-lived NCA products were separated sequentially from the bulk cadmium by liquid–liquid extraction using di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) dissolved in cyclohexane as organic phase and HCl as aqueous phase. At the optimum condition, 10^?2 M HCl and 5 % HDEHP, NCA In along with NCA Sn radionuclides (75 %) were separated from the bulk Cd resulting to high separation factors of 2.7 × 10⁴ (D _In/D _Cd) and 500 (D _Sn/D _Cd), respectively. The NCA In was stripped back completely to the aqueous phase by 6 M HCl leaving NCA Sn in the HDEHP phase with a separation factor (D _Sn/D _In) of 3.94 × 10⁶.     

Chemical separation of enriched cadmium target from copper backing in cyclotron production of radioisotope 111In

A radiochemical purification procedure was developed for the separation of enriched cadmium (¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹²Cd) from natural copper that used as backing; and was based upon the chromatographic adsorption. The separation of copper from cadmium was studied in this work. The ions were selectively separated from aqueous solution. Ion-exchange chromatography was employed as a column (1.5 cm i.d. and 15 cm length) with AG1-X8 resin (chloride form, 100–200 mesh) and a flow rate of 1–2 ml/min throughout the separation. 6 M HCl media was used for the adsorption of Cd and Cu on the resin. Then, Cu was eluted by 2 M HCl and Cd by 100 ml 0.5 M HNO₃. The amount of Cu and Cd ions in the final solution (0.5 M HNO₃) were measured by pulse polarographic method and the concentration of Cu was found to be <0.1 ppm. The Cd was quantitatively recovered and the recovery yield from ion-exchange chromatography was greater than 96 %.     

Separating Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu, and Sm in a Gd matrix using 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester extraction chromatography for ICP-AES analysis

The separation procedure for Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu and Sm as impurities in Gd matrix using ICP-AES technique with an extraction chromatographic column has been developed. The spectral interference of the Gd matrix on the elements was eliminated using a chromatography technique with 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC-88A) as the mobile phase and XAD-16 resin as the stationary phase. Ag⁺, B₄O₇²⁻, and Cd²⁺ were eluted with 0.1 M HNO₃, while rare earth ions were not. The best eluent for separating Eu and Sm in the Gd matrix was 0.3 M HNO₃. The limit of quantitation for these elements was 0.6-3.0 ng mL⁻¹. The recovery of Ag, B, and Cd was 90-104% using 0.1 M HNO₃ as the eluent, while that of Eu, Gd, and Sm ranged from 100 to 102% with 0.3 M HNO₃. Dy was recovered quantitatively with 4 M HNO₃. The relative standard deviation of the methods for a set of three replicates was between 1.0 and 15.4% for the synthetic and standard Gd solutions. The proposed separation procedure was used to measure Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu, and Sm in a standard Gd solution.     

Separation of the no-carrier-added 109Cd from Ag, Cu and 65Zn by use of a precipitation and AG1-X8 resin

The ¹⁰⁹Cd radionuclide was produced in the cyclotron via ^natAg(p,n)¹⁰⁹Cd reaction. The radiochemical separation of ¹⁰⁹Cd from silver and non-isotopic impurities comprised of two stages. The optimum conditions of the ¹⁰⁹Cd separation methods were: Ag precipitation with 0.015 M HCl and Cu and ⁶⁵Zn by use of 0.015 M HCl on AG1-X8 strong anion-exchange resin. Chemical and radionuclidic purity of ¹⁰⁹Cd were measured by ICP-AES and gamma-ray spectrometry respectively. Recovery yield and radionuclidic purity were obtained 99.7% and 99%, respectively.     

The production of 103Pd and 109Cd from a proton irradiated tandem natAg/natAg targets

This paper describes a new method for the production of ¹⁰³Pd and ¹⁰⁹Cd using the 66 MeV proton beam of iThemba LABS on a tandem natural silver target (Ag/Ag). The radiochemical separation of the Pd radionuclides (¹⁰³Pd, ¹⁰⁰Pd) from the bulk ^natAg was done using a Chelex-100 chelating resin column. The recovery of ¹⁰³Pd from the irradiated ^natAg target was found to be >98 % without any Ag or Rh impurities detected. The radiochemical separation of ¹⁰⁹Cd from the bulk ^natAg target was done by the precipitation of Ag ions by Cu followed by the separation of ¹⁰⁹Cd, traces of Ag, Cu²⁺ and Rh using a AG1-X10 anion exchange resin column. The recovery yield of ¹⁰⁹Cd was >99 % without any Ag or Rh impurities detected.     

Determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants by flow injection-based solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

A flow injection-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants. The oxidation state of plutonium in a sample solution was adjusted to Pu(VI) by the addition of silver(II) oxide. A sample solution was made up in 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and loaded onto a column packed with UTEVA^® with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ as the carrier. Plutonium(VI) was adsorbed onto the resin, and interfering elements were removed by rinsing the column with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Subsequently, the adsorbed Pu(VI) was eluted with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃, and then introduced directly into the flow-through electrolysis cell with boron-doped diamond electrode. The eluted Pu(VI) was detected by an electrochemical amperometric method at a working potential of 0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The current produced on reduction of Pu(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded. The plutonium concentration was calculated from the relationship between the peak area and concentration of plutonium. The relative standard deviation of ten analyses was 1.1% for a plutonium solution of 25 μg L^?1 containing 50 ng of Pu. The detection limit calculated from three-times the standard deviation was 0.82 μg L^?1 (1.6 ng of Pu).     

Separation of carrier-free 111In, 116,117Te and 116,116m,117Sb from a 11B-induced silver target

Heavy-ion activation with ~55 MeV ¹¹B beam on silver target leads to the production of carrier-free ¹¹¹In, ^116,117Te and ^116,116m,117Sb radioisotopes in the target matrix. Liquid-liquid extraction, using Aliquat-336 and trioctylamine (TOA) as liquid anion exchangers in HNO₃ and HCl medium, respectively, and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) as liquid cation exchanger in ammoniacal medium was used to investigate the separation of the produced radioisotopes from the bulk target matrix.     

Preconcentration of Trace Cadmium (II) and Copper (II) in Environmental Water Using a Column Packed with Modified Silica Gel-Chitosan Prior to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Determination

A new column loaded with modified silica gel-chitosan is proposed as a preconcentration system for adsorption of trace cadmium (II) and copper (II). The optimization steps were performed under dynamic conditions, involving pH, sample flow rate, eluent selection, concentration, volume, and flow rate. Trace Cd(II) and Cu(II) were quantitatively adsorbed by the modified silica gel-chitosan. The metal ions adsorbed on the separation column were eluted with 0.1 M HNO₃ and determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Under the optimum conditions, this method allowed the determination of cadmium and copper with limits of detection (LOD) of 20 ng L^?1 and 38 ng L^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviation values (RSDs) for 1.0 mg L^?1 of cadmium and 1.0 mg L^?1 of copper were 2.62% and 2.85%, respectively.     

Separation of 97Ru from niobium target using PEG based aqueous biphasic systems

Separation of no-carrier-added (NCA) ⁹⁷Ru from bulk niobium target has been carried out for the first time using green analytical technique, aqueous biphasic system. 50 % (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG)-4000, against 2 M solutions of various salts such as Na-citrate, Na-tartarate, Na-malonate, Na₂CO₃, NaHSO₃, Na₂SO₄, Na₂S₂O₃ K₂HPO₄, K₃PO₄, K₂CO₃ and 4 M KOH were employed at room temperature for the extraction of NCA ⁹⁷Ru from bulk niobium. Influence of molecular weight of PEG rich phase as well as pH of some salt rich phase (e.g., Na-tartarate) on the extraction behaviour of NCA ⁹⁷Ru into PEG rich phase was also observed. In the presence of sodium-tartarate salt solution, when volume of PEG-4000: Na-tartarate was 3:1, 91 % of NCA ⁹⁷Ru was extracted into the PEG rich phase without any contamination of niobium target. Dialysis of PEG rich phase containing NCA ⁹⁷Ru was carried out against deionised water to obtained pure NCA ⁹⁷Ru.     

Extraction and separation of Th(IV) and U(VI) from nitric acid media using PIA-8 and HDEHP

Extraction behavior of Th(IV) and U(VI) has been investigated with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphinic acid (PIA-8) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP) from nitric acid media in toluene. The optimum conditions for extraction of these metals have been established by studying various parameters like acid concentration, pH, reagent concentration, diluents and shaking time. The extraction of Th(IV) was found to be quantitative with 0.3-2.5M HNO₃ by 2.5^.10^-2M HDEHP and in the pH range 0.1-2.5 with 2.3^.10^-2M PIA-8 in toluene. U(VI) was completely extracted in the acidic range of 0.1-2.0M HNO₃ with 2.2^.10^-2M HDEHP and in the pH range of 1.0-3.0 with 2.0^.10^-2M PIA-8 in toluene. The probable extracted species have been ascertained by log D-log c plot as UO₂ R₂ ^.2HR with both the reagents and Th (NO₃)₂R₂ ^.2HR with PIA-8 and Th (NO₃)₃R^.3HR with HDEHP, respectively. Temperature dependence of the extraction equilibrium is examined by the temperature variation method. Separation of U(VI) and Th(IV) was also carried out from commonly associated metals.     

Bleeding evaluation of the stationary phase from a few novel macroporous silica-substrate polymeric materials used for radionuclide partitioning from HLLW in MAREC process

Summary To separate minor actinides from HLLW by extraction chromatography, a few novel silica-based di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP), 4,4¢,(5¢)-di(tert-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6 (DtBuCH18C6), octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO), and N,N,N¢,N¢-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (TODGA) polymeric adsorption materials (HDEHP/SiO₂-P, DtBuCH18C6/SiO₂-P, CMPO/SiO₂-P, and TODGA/SiO₂-P) were synthesized by impregnating HDEHP, DtBuCH18C6, CMPO, and TODGA into the pores of porous SiO₂-P particles, which were the new kind of inorganic/organic composites consisted of macroporous SiO₂ and copolymer. The bleeding behavior of these composites was investigated by examining the effect of contact time and HNO₃ concentration. It was found that in the tested HNO₃ concentration range, a noticeable quantity of DtBuCH18C6, at least 600 ppm, leaked out from DtBuCH18C6/SiO₂-P because of the protonation of DtBuCH18C6 with hydrogen ion, while the others were lower and basically equivalent to the solubility of HDEHP, CMPO, or TODGA in corresponding acidities solutions. Based on the batch experiment, the bleeding of CMPO/SiO₂-P and TODGA/SiO₂-P, the main adsorbents used in MAREC process for HLLW partitioning, was evaluated by column operation in 0.01M HNO₃ and 3M HNO₃. The quantity of CMPO leaked was ~48 ppm in 0.01M HNO₃ and ~37 ppm in 3.0M HNO₃. The bleeding of TODGA decreased from 23.2 ppm to 7.27 ppm at the initial stage and then basically kept constant. An actual bleeding of TODGA was evaluated by the separation of Sr(II) from a 2.0M HNO₃ solution containing 5.0 ^. 10^-3M of 6 typically simulated elements.     

Sequential separation and determination of uranium and thorium isotopes in soil samples with Microthene-TOPO chromatographic column and alpha-spectrometry

In the method, soil was fused together with Na₂CO₃ and Na₂O₂ at 600 °C, uranium and thorium were leached out with HCl, HNO₃ and HF, and HClO₄ was used to eliminate the residual HF through evaporation. The leaching solution (2 M HNO₃) was passed through a Microthene-TOPO column to adsorb uranium and thorium. Thorium was first eluted with 2 M HCl and electrodeposited in 0.025 M H₂C₂O₄ + 0.15 M HNO₃ on a stainless steel disc. Uranium was eluted with a 0.025 M ammonium oxalate solution and also electrodeposited. Both thorium and uranium isotopes on the discs were measured separately by α-spectrometry.     

Development of cadmium/silver/palladium separation by ion chromatography with quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection for off-line cadmium isotopic measurements

A separation method was investigated to perform off-line cadmium isotopic measurements on a ¹⁰⁹Ag transmutation target. Ion chromatography (IC) with Q ICPMS detection (quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection) was chosen to separate cadmium from the isobarically interfering elements, silver and palladium, present in the sample. The optimization of chromatographic conditions was particularly studied. Several anion and cation columns (Dionex AG11^®, CS10^® and CS12^®) were compared with different mobile phases (HNO₃, HCl). The separation procedure was achieved with a carboxylate-functionalized cation exchange CS12 column using 0.5 M HNO₃ as eluent. The developed technique yielded satisfactory results in terms of separation factors (greater than 5) and provides an efficient solution to obtain rapidly purified cadmium fractions (decontamination factors higher 100,000 for silver and palladium) which can directly be analyzed by multi collection inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC ICPMS). By applying the proposed procedure, accurate and precise cadmium isotope ratios were determined for the irradiated ¹⁰⁹Ag transmutation target.     

Determination of neptunium in a reprocessing plant by an on-line solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

In this study, a flow-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of neptunium in the presence of Pu(IV). Np(V) in the sample solution was completely oxidized to Np(VI) via electrolysis using a column electrode composed of carbon fibers. The column electrode effluent was then loaded onto a TEVA^® column, and subsequently onto a UTEVA^® column using 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Pu(IV) was retained on the TEVA column and separated from Np(VI), while Np(VI) was retained on the UTEVA column. Np(VI) was eluted from the UTEVA column with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and then introduced directly into a flow-through electrolysis cell. An electrochemical amperometric method with a working potential of +0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was used to detect Np(VI). The current produced due to the reduction of Np(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded, and the Np concentration was calculated from the peak area. The relative standard deviation of 10 analyses was 2.4 % for an Np solution (0.50 mg L^?1) containing 1.0 μg Np. The detection limit, which was determined to be three times the standard deviation, was 35 μg L^?1 (70 ng Np).     

Tracer scale solvent extraction separation of tantalum from niobium using di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphoric acid as extractant

A simple solvent extraction procedure for the efficient separation of the radioactive tracers⁹⁵Nb and¹⁸²Ta from each other in a mixture using di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) as extractant is described. Tantalum was found to be quantitatively extracted from an aqueous madium, which is 1.6N in HCl and 10^?2 M in oxalic acid, with a HDEHP solution of 0.1 M concentration. Extractabilities of both niobium and tantalum in mineral acids like HCl, H₂SO₄ and HNO₃ and in some organic acids like oxalic, citric, etc., in HDEHP under the experimental conditions were also studied. The reliability of the separation procedure was verified further by γ-ray spectrometry.     

Coupled transport of Ag(I) ions through triethanolamine–cyclohexanone-based supported liquid membranes

Facilitated transport of silver(I) ions in acidic medium, across a supported liquid membrane (SLM) by using triethanolamine (TEA) as carrier, dissolved in cyclohexanone, has been investigated. The parameters studied are HNO₃ concentration variation in the feed, pH of the feed solution, carrier concentration in the membrane phase, silver(I) ions concentration in the feed phase and KCN concentration in the stripping phase. Increase in H⁺ concentration by increasing HNO₃ concentration from 0.5 to 1 M results into an increase in silver ions flux but a decrease in flux has been found beyond 1 M HNO₃ concentration in the feed, providing a maximum flux of 3.21 × 10⁻⁷ mol/m² s at 1 M HNO₃. Increase in TEA concentration inside the membrane enhances flux with its maximum value at 2.25 M TEA. Further increase in the concentration of TEA leads to a decreased rate of transport due to the increase in viscosity of membrane liquid. The optimum conditions for Ag(I) ions transport are 1 M HNO₃ (feed), 2.25 M TEA (membrane) and 1.5 M KCN in the stripping phase. It has been observed that Ag(I) flux across the membrane tends to increase with increase in Ag(I) ions concentration in the feed phase. Applying the studied conditions to silver plating waste solutions, Ag ions have been removed up to 99% in a time interval of 5 h.