Sequential distillation of fission-produced radioiodine and radioruthenium from sulfuric acid solutions

Fission-produced ¹³¹I and ¹⁰³Ru radionuclides have been separated sequentially by distillation from H₂SO₄ of controlled chemical composition. The thermal-neutron irradiated uranium trioxide targets were digested in 2M NaOH solution and then, the supernatant solution was acidified to 20% H₂SO₄ with addition of a few drops of H₂O₂ solution. On boiling for 3.5 hours, ≥99.99%¹³¹I was volatilized, passed through 3M H₂SO₄ traps, and then collected in 0.1M NaOH + 0.01% Na₂S₂O₃ solution with a recovery yield of 73.6%. The product radionuclide had high radiochemical and radionuclidic purities. After separation of ¹³¹I, the fission-product solution was acidified to 40% H₂SO₄ acid containing KMnO₄ as an oxidant and boiled for 40 minutes. Ruthenium nuclides were volatilized and collected in 0.1M NaOH solution. Gamma-ray spectrometry showed that the separation and the recovery yields of ¹⁰³Ru were ≥99.99 and 65%, respectively, with ~92% radionuclidic purity, measured immediately after separation. The radionuclides of ¹³²I and ¹⁰⁶Rh were the main contaminants detected in the obtained ¹⁰³Ru product solution. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.