REVERSED-PHASE CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION AND LIQUID SCINTILLATION DETERMINATION OF PLUTONIUM,
Abstract
Reversed-phase chromatographic separation followed by liquid scintillation counting of the 239Pu alpha emissions was studied to determine 239Pu in the presence of fission product isotopes. The nitric acid salt of tri-n-octylamine, coated on an inert support, was used to separate the plutonium. The amine salt was then dissolved by a toluene based scintillator solution, and the amount of exchanged plutonium was determined in a liquid scintillation counter. The procedure proved practical and rapid; only 2 hours are required to complete an analysis. Fission product scintillation counting interferences are negligible for the isotopes tested even though up to seven percent chemical exchanges occurred; for 144Ce, 0.6 percent exchange; for 137Cs, 4.6 percent; and for 95Zr-Nb, 7 percent. The optimum conditions to minimize the exchange of 106Ru were not resolved and this remains to be studied. Exchanges for 106Ru varied from 1 to 80 percent. For plutonium-rich samples, the procedure should give results accurate to at least 5 percent; for higher fission product contamination, results accurate to at least 10 percent are readily obtainable. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0668670
Entities
People
- Donald J. Gross