Determination of plutonium, uranium and americium/curium isotopes in environmental samples with anion exchange, UTEVA, Sr and DGA resin

Abstract

This study presents a quantitative sequential radiochemical separation method for the Pu, U, Sr and Am/Cm isotopes with an anion exchange resin, UTEVA resin, Sr resin and DGA resin in environmental samples. After the radionuclides were leached from samples with 8 M HNO3, the Pu, U, Sr and Am/Cm isotopes were sequentially adsorbed on the anion exchange column, UTEVA column connected with Sr Spec column and DGA column. The Pu isotopes were purified from other nuclides through the anion exchange column, and the uranium isotopes were separated from other nuclides through the UTEVA column. Also, 90Sr was separated from other hindrance elements such as Ca2+, Ba2+ and Y3+ with the Sr Spec column. Finally, Am/Cm fractions were purified with the DGA and anion exchange resins. After α source preparation for the purified Pu, U and Am/Cm isotopes with the micro-coprecipitation method, the Pu, U and Am/Cm isotopes were measured by an alpha spectrometry. Strontium-90 was measured by a low level liquid scintillation counter. The radiochemical procedure for Pu, U and Am nuclides investigated in this study has been validated by application to IAEA Reference soils.