Precipitation separation of strontium and calcium from acidic solutions using crown ether and tungstosilicic acid

Strontium forms a compound of composition (SrL)₂A·nH₂O with low solubility (5.0·10^–6 mol Sr·dm^–3) in the presence of 18-crown-6 (L) and tungstosilicic acid (H₄A) in acid media, as has been found by radiometric precipitation titration. Formation of the compound with limited solubility was used for separation of strontium and calcium from 1 mol·dm^–3 HCl. It is possible to separate strontium in the range from trace to 6 mmol·dm^–3 in the presence of calcium with its concentration up to 0.2 mol ·dm^–3 and the recovery determined was 95% of Sr and 5% Ca or 90% of Sr and 4% Ca, respectively. The ratio of Sr/Ca depends on the stability constants ratio of metal-L (⊃_SR/⊃_ca) in the case of gradual addition of L. Potassium up to the concentration of 0.05 mol·dm^–3 does not influence recovery of strontium.     

Separation of cerium and europium by extraction with tributyl phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid in n-alkane from nitrate solutions

The following extraction systems have been studied: (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺) (NO₃)-(EDTA, DCTA, DTPA)/TBP in n-alkane and (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺)(NO₃)/DEHPA in n-alkane at concentration ratios as follows: [Ce³⁺]=trace –1 mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]=trace –0.1 mol·dm^–3. [TBP]=(0.183–1.83) mol·dm^–3, [DEHPA]=(5·10^–3–0.1) mol·dm^–3, [(H, Na)NO₃]=(0.1–6) mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]: [EDTA, DCTA, DTPA]=11–110. The initial concentration of Eu³⁺ in aqueous phase in the extraction system containing a mixture of Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ was trace, 1% and 10% compared with the Ce³⁺ concentration. The distribution of the elements between the phases was observed radiometrically using¹⁴¹Ce,¹⁵²Eu and¹⁵⁴Eu. The results are documented by the distribution ratios D_Ce, D_Eu and separation factor =D_Eu/D_Ce as functions of variable parameters of the systems.     

Simultaneous reactive extraction separation of amino acids from water with D2EHPA in hollow fiber contactors

Reactive extraction separation of binary amino acids from water using a microporous hollow fiber has been studied, in which the acidic extractant di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) was selected as an active carrier dissolved in kerosene. l-Phenylalanine (Phe) was extracted from an aqueous solution through the shell side of module to the organic phase through the lumen of fiber in the extraction module, in which l-Phe was then back-extracted to stripping phase in stripping module. Experiments were conducted as a function of the initial feed concentration of equimolar Phe and l-aspartic acid (l-Asp) (5 mol/m³), feed pH (3–5), the carrier concentration (0.1–0.5 mol/dm³), and stripping acidity (0.1–2 mol/dm³). The effect of process variables on the separation factor of Phe/Asp and the possible transport resistances including aqueous-layer diffusion, membrane diffusion, organic-layer, and interfacial chemical reaction were quantitatively studied and discussed. The high separation factor (β) of Phe/Asp was obtained to be 18.5 at feed pH 5 and 2 mol/dm³ of strip solution (HCl). The extraction and stripping processes appear to rely on pH dependence of the distribution coefficient of amino acids in reactive extraction system. The separation factor (β) was enhanced in hollow fiber membrane (HFM) process compared with conventional solvent process, which was a result of the counter transport of hydrogen ions.     

Determination of radium isotopes in mine waters through alpha- and beta-activities measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry

This paper presents a method for the determination of radium isotopes in mineralised mine waters, based on the separation of alpha- and beta-intensities measured in the precipitate by a liquid scintillation spectrometer in two time intervals (1 day and 7 days) after radium precipitation. The count rates of -particles give not only the concentration of alpha emitters (²²⁶Ra and²²⁴Ra), but also make possible to find the -counting efficiency of the system and through that-to determine the concentration of the -emitting radium isotope (²²⁸Ra) with higher accuracy. An improved chemical procedure was elaborated. By this method radium isotopes in different water samples were determined, in wide range of concentrations, from about 0.06 Bq/dm³ in potable water to more than 100 Bq/dm³ in some mine brines. As an example some analytical results are given. The detection limit, defined as three standard deviations, is-for both radium isotopes –0.03 Bq/dm³ (for intial volume of water sample equal to about 1 dm³ and for counting time of each measurement not longer than 1 hour).     

Extraction and stripping study of strontium ions across D2EHPA-TBP-kerosene oil based supported liquid membranes

A Sr ion transport study across D2EHPA-TBP kerosene oil based liquid membranes supported on microporous polypropylene film has been performed. The parameters studied were the effect of di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and TBP concentration variation in the membrane liquid, HNO₃ concentration variation in the stripping phase and citric acid concentration variation in the feed solution. The optimum conditions of transport are 0.3 mol/dm³ D2EHPA, 0.1 mol/dm³ TBP, 0.01 mol/dm³ citric acid in feed and 2 mol/dm³ HNO₃ in the stripping phase. The mechanism of transport observed is counter-ion coupled transport. The coupling ions are protons. The maximum flux for Sr ion transport observed is 5.33·10^–5 mol·m^–2·s^–1 and maximum permeability under optimum conditions observed is 8.08·10^–11 m^–2·s^–1.     

Extraction separation of rare-earth elements by amines in the presence of complexing agents

The extraction separation of La and Sm by benzyldibutylamine (BDBA) from an aqueous solution containing 6 mol·dm^–3 NaNO₃ and 0.5 mol·dm^–3 HNO₃ is not very efficient. It may remarkably be improved by addition of a complexing agent, 2-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA). The effect of preferential La extraction into the organic phase together with the effect of preferential complexation of Sm in the aqueous phase may lead, by proper choice of the complexing agent concentration, to a 7–10 fold increase in _La/Sm values. The procedure described here enables fairly good separation of a major from minor elements.     

Spectral and kinetic characteristics of the α-propionic acid methyl ester radical in cyclohexane and water

The -propionic acid methyl ester radical was produced in dissociative electron capture reaction of 2-chloropropionic acid methyl ester. The absorption maxima of the radical are at 310 and 300 nm in cyclohexane and water with extinction coefficients of 440±50 and 400±50 mol^–1 dm³ cm^–1. The second order decay rate parameter in water is (2.3±0.5)×10⁹ mol^–1 dm³ s^–1. The peroxy radicals have the characteristics: _max=265–270 nm, _max=700–900 mol^–1 dm³ and 2k=(7±2)·10⁸ mol^–1 dm³ s^–1.     

Analytical separation of antimony(III) from bismuth(III), lead(II), gallium(III), thallium(III), tellurium(IV) and tin(IV) with cyanex 302

A method is proposed for the separation of antimony(III) (100–400 g) from bismuth(III), lead(II), gallium(III), thallium(III), tellurium(IV) and tin(IV) from an aqueous solution of pH 0.5–1.5 using 8×10^–3–1×10^–2 mol dm^–3 cyanex 302 dissolved in toluene as an extractant. The antimony is stripped from the cyanex phase with water and determined spectrophotometrically with iodide. Various experimental parameters are optimized and the probable 13 stoichiometry of the extracted species is evaluated. The method is applicable to the analysis of alloys and pharmaceutical samples. The separation and determination take only 20 min.     

Reversed-phase partition chromatographic separation of minor actinides with bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide from acidic nitrate PUREX waste solutions

The uptake behavior of U(VI), Pu(IV), Am(III) and a few long-lived fission products from nitric acid media by bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide (BESO) adsorbed on Chromosorb has been studied U(VI), Pu(IV) and Zr(IV) are taken up appreciably as compared to trivalent actinides/lanthanides including some coexisting fission product contaminants which are weakly sorbed on the column. Chromosorb could be loaded with (1.12±0.03) g of BESO per g of the support. Maximum sorption is observed around 4–5 mol·dm^–3 HNO₃ for both U(VI) and Pu(IV), which are sorbed as their disolvates. The elution of (U(VI) and Pu(IV) from the metal loaded sorbent has also been optimized. Desorption of U(VI) is easily accomplished with dilute nitric acid (ca. 0.01 mol·dm^–3)while Pu(IV) is reductively stripped with 0.1 mol·dm^–3 NH₂OH·HCl. Effective sequential separation of U(VI), Pu(IV) and Am(III) from their several admixtures could be readily achieved from real medium and low level active acidic process raffinates.     

Sorption of radionuclides on natural materials

Information about the sorption of radionuclides on natural materials used for cementation of liquid radioactive wastes (RAW) is important for predictions of migration rates of radionuclides in the products of fixation. Cementation process for conditioning liquid RAW uses, besides cement, materials which improve quality of products. In Czechoslovakia technology among these materials are clinoptilolite tuffit, mordenite tuff, tobermorite and fly ash. Liquid RAW issued from nuclear power plants contains the principal radionuclides⁶⁰Co,¹³⁴Cs and¹³⁷Cs, therefore, a sorption study of these radionuclides was carried out. pH of liquid RAW was 12.5–13.7 and salt content ca. 200 g·dm^–3. Results of sorption are given by distribution coefficients. The best results for cesium in those pH region and salt content had mordenite tuff D_Cs=100 dm³·kg^–1 and the worst results had fly ash D_Cs=4.1 dm³·kg^–1. The best results for cobalt in those solutions had tobermorite D_Co=38 dm³·kg^–1 and the worst results had fly ash D_Co=6.9 dm³·kg^–1.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of 1-(4′-bromophenyl)-3,3-dimethyltriazene

The optimum conditions were established for the determination of the genotoxic substance 1-(4-bromophenyl)-3,3-dimethyltriazene by differential-pulse voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode in the concentration range 1 × 10^–4 to 1 × 10^–7 mol dm^–3. The sensitivity of the determination can be improved through adsorptive accumulation of the investigated substance on the surface of the hanging mercury drop electrode: differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry can be used in the concentration range 1 × 10^–7 to 2 × 10^–10 mol dm^–3. The relative standard deviation (for ten determinations at 2 × 10^–10 mol dm^–3) was 7.5%.     

Environmental radioactivity level in the Ceranavodă area /Romania/ between 1981 and 1983

The environmental factors considered are: surface water, ground water, drinking water, soil, sediment and spontaneous vegetation. The analyses performed showed a low level of radioisotopes. The mean values recorded were: 4.22×10^–3 Bq dm^–3 for¹³⁷Cs, 2.97×10^–3 Bq dm^–3 for⁹⁰Sr, 14.9 Bq dm^–3 for³H and 1.07 g dm^–3 for U, in the Danube waters. The -spectrometric analysies revealed lines corresponding to⁴⁰K and the to the natural decay series of U and Th. There have been also identified the artificial radionuclides¹³⁷Cs and⁶⁰Co in sediment,⁹⁵Zr and⁹⁵Nb in the 1981 vegetation. All artificial isotopes resulted from atmospheric fallout.     

The aggregation in dodecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide aqueous solutions

The aggregation of dodecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (DTAOH) aqueous solutions has been studied by several methods. It is stepwise and four critical points were found. AtC _T=(2.51±0.10)×10^–4 mol · dm^–3 the surface excess becomes zero, atC _T=(1.300±0.041)×10^–3 mol · dm^–3 small aggregates from, which grow with concentration. AtC _T=(1.108±0.010)×10^–2 mol · dm^–3 true micelles form (CMC) and at (3.02±0.28)×10^–2 mol · dm^–3 the structure of micelles probably changes affecting their properties. The DTAOH micelles are highly ionized (=0.8) at the CMC, and decreases to reach very small values when the total concentration increases.     

90Sr and137Cs in atmospheric precipitations during 1980–1985 in the Bucharest area

Samples of precipitations were collected quarterly and analyzed for⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs. The values obtained ranged from 0.001 to 0.004 Bq dm^–3, with a maximum of 0.010 Bq dm^–3 for⁹⁰Sr;¹³⁷Cs values ranged from 0.001 to 0.005 Bq dm^–3, with a maximum of 0.070 Bq dm^–3. The highest values were observed during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 1981.     

Kinetics and mechanism of exchange reaction of [Y(APTA)] (APTA=o-aminophenol-N,N, O-triacetic acid) with copper(II)

Summary The kinetics of the exchange reaction between [Y(APTA)] and Cu^II have been investigated over a range of [H⁺] from 2.5×10^–5 to 7.5×10^–4 mol dm^–3 at 30°C and ionic strength 0.2 mol dm^–3 KNO₃. The results show that the exchange reaction proceeds via both self-and proton-catalyzed dissociation of [Y(APTA)] and also by the direct attack of Cu^II on [Y(APTA)]. The corresponding rate constants k_d, k _h and k_Cu have been evaluated as 6.3s^–1, 8.4×10⁴ mol^–1 dm³ s^–1 and 416mol^–3 dm³ s^–1 respectively. The possible intermediates are discussed in terms of the structure of APTA. The complex-formation rate constants of Y^III with APTA^3- and HAPTA^2- were also obtained.     

Pulse radiolysis investigations on the reactions of primary radiolytic species of water with atropine

On pulse radiolysis of N₂O saturated aqueous solutions of atropine, an optical absorption band (_max at 320 nm,e=2.81·10³ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1) was observed, which is assigned to the product of reaction of OH radicals with the solute. This absorption decayed following second order kinetics with a rate constant of 4.5·10⁸ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The rate constant for the reaction of OH radicals with atropine as estimated by following the build-up kinetics is 2.7·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The H atoms also reacted with this compound to produce a transient absorption band behaving similarly to the one observed in the case of reaction with OH radicals. The transient species formed in both cases is assigned to a radical derived by H atom abstraction by H/OH radicals from the parent compound. This radical was unreactive towards 2-mercaptoethanol. e _aq ^– was found to react with atropine forming a transient band with _max at 310 nm (=3.55·10³ dm³·mol^–1). Its decay was also second order with a rate constant of 1.64·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of e _aq ^– with atropine as estimated from the decay of e _aq ^– absorption at 720 nm is 3.9·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. Specific one-electron oxidizing and reducing agents (such as Cl ₂ ^– , Tl²⁺, SO ₄ ^– and (CH₃)₂COH, CO ₂ ^– , respectively) failed to oxidize or reduce this compound in aqoues solutions. The radical anion of atropine formed by its reaction with e _aq ^– was found to reduce thionine and methyl viologen with bimolecular rate constant of 3.8·10⁹ and 3.2·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1, respectively.     

Stoichiometry and kinetics of the oxidation of hydroxylammonium ion by 12-tungstocobaltate(III) anion in aqueous solution

Summary The stoichiometry and kinetics of the oxidation of hydroxylammonium ion by the 12-tungstocobaltate(III) anion has been studied in hydrochloric acid medium. The ratio of mols of oxidant consumed per mol of hydroxylammonium ion is 11 and the evolution of nitrogen is confirmed. In the 0.1–1.0 mol dm^–3 [H⁺] region, the oxidation is acid-independent and obeys the empirical rate law: –d[oxidant]/dt=k[oxidant] [reductant] where k=(3.51±0.18)×10^–4 mol^–1dm³s^–1 at 22.4±0.1C and I=2.0 mol dm^–3 (NaCl). Possible reaction steps and mechanism are suggested.     

Optical and gamma irradiation studies of morin in ethanol

Spectral studies of morin in aqueous ethanol and other alcohols have been carried out as a function of its concentration and that of ethanol, and the pH of aqueous buffer. The effect of gamma radiations on morin solution in ethanol was also studied as a function of dose in the range of 0.15–2.28 kGy and of morin concentration (10^–5–10^–4 mole·dm^–3). Morin concentration in ethanol solution showed a linear response for G values to a dose of 1.83 kGy. Molar absorption coefficients () for morin in ethanol have been estimated to be _260nm=2.28·10⁴ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 and _291nm=8.22·10³ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 for unirradiated and _{291 nm}=1.75·10⁴ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 for irradiated solutions to a dose of 1.83 kGy.     

Ion-pair adsorption film colorimetry of iron (III) in water samples and human serum

The anionic chelate of iron(III)-2,2-dihydroxyazobenzene (H₂L), [FeL₂]^–, formed 1 1 ion-pair with crystal violet cation (CV⁺), CV⁺ [FeL₂]^–, and was adsorbed on a surface of transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film plasticized with di-n-octyl phthalate. Enrichment of the blue violet species of the ion-pair onto the transparent PVC film has enabled a highly sensitive and simple method for the determination of iron(III). The detection limits are 1 × 10^–8 mol dm^–3 (0.6 ppb) by spectrophotometry at 592 nm, and 4 × 10^–8 mol dm^–3 (2 ppb) by visual colorimetry. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of iron in water samples and human serum. No preparatory procedures for the separation of serum protein and other coexisting substances are required, since ion-pair adsorption process provides a new method to prevent interference of serum matrix.     

Nonionic latices in aqueous media

Nonionic latices in aqueous media prepared using methoxy polyethylene glycol methacrylate as a comonomer/stabiliser and ascorbic acid/hydrogen peroxide as the initiator have been examined for stability in the presence of the 21 electrolyte, barium chloride. These latices were found to be stable up to the concentrations of barium chloride examined, 0.75 mol dm^–3. Charge stabilised latices, on the other hand, were coagulated in 2.1×10^–2 mol dm^–3 barium chloride. The high stability of the nonionic latices was attributed to the grafting, during polymerisation, of methoxy polyethylene glycol chains to the surface of the core particle of polystyrene. The nonionic latices on concentration to high volume fraction gave highly ordered packing of the particles even in the presence of 0.1 mol dm^–3 sodium chloride.