Method for the concentration and separation of actinides from biological and environmental samples
AssigneeArch Development Corporation
InventorsE. Philip Horwitz, Mark L. Dietz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for the quantitative recover of actinide values from biological and environmental sample by passing appropriately prepared samples in a mineral acid solution through a separation column of a dialkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide dissolved in tri-n-butyl phosphate on an inert substrate which selectively extracts the actinide values. The actinide values can be eluted either as a group or individually and their presence quantitatively detected by alpha counting.
Claims19
A method for quantitatively detecting actinide elements which may be present in a biological or environmental sample comprising:
- treating the sample to concentrate and release the actinides,
- forming an acidic sample solution containing the actinides,
- passing the acidic sample solution through a separation column of an alkyl(pheny)-N,N-diakylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide in tri-n-butyl phosphate coated and dried onto an inert substrate whereby the actinides are selectively taken up by the separation column,
- passing an ammonium oxalate solution thru the column to elute the actinite elements, and
- detecting the presence and quantity of the actinide elements.
A method for quantitatively detecting the various actinide elements which may be present in a biological or environmental sample comprising:
- treating the sample to concentrate and release the actinide,
- forming a strong mineral acid solution containing the actinides, said solution being at least 1.0M in acid,
- adding ferrous nitrate to the acid solution to reduce and Np(V) to Np(IV) thereby forming an acidic sample solution,
- passing the acidic sample solution through a separation column of an alkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialkylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide dissoved in tri-n-butyl phosphate coated and dried thereon an inert substrate whereby the actinide are selectively taken up by the separation column,
- passing 1.0 to 3.0M HCl solution through the column to elute any Am and Cm values from the column,
- passing 0.5 to 1.5M HCl solution through the column to elute any Th values from the column,
- passing 0.5M HCl solution containing 0.1M asorbic acid through the column to elute any Pu values from the column,
- passing 0.5M HCl solution containing 0.1M HF through the column to elute any Np values,
- passing 0.1M ammonium oxalate solution through the column to elute the U values from the column, and
- detecting the presence and quantity of each actinide.
A separation column for recovering actinides from acidic solutions prepared from biological and environmental samples comprising:
- a tubular-shaped body portion having an open top for receiving the acid solutions and a lower outlet,
- a porous hydrophobic chromatographic material packed within the body portion having coated and dried thereon an actinide extractant sorbed thereon, the actinide extractant consisting of an alkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialkylcarbamylmethylphosphine oxide dissolved in tri-n-butyl phosphate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.