Skip to main content
Log in

Applications of a dual-column technique in actinide separations

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Selective separation of an individual actinide of interest from other actinides and accompanying lanthanides is a challenging task in radiochemistry and radioanalytical chemistry. This paper illustrates a dual column technique (i.e., stacked columns of two appropriate resins) to separate an individual actinide of interest, where the selection of two resins and a common effluent running through the stacked columns are key parameters in design of an appropriate dual column. This paper describes the dual column design and practice with two examples, one for a heavy actinide 249Bk and the other for a light actinide 230U. In the former case, stacked columns of anion exchange (AX) resin and LN resin replaced the traditional CX-AHIB method used at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for 60 years. In the latter case, an elution process with an AX column followed with a stacked column of AX resin and a DGA resin was applied, instead of traditional methods, e.g., PUREX or U-TEVA methods. Application results of the dual column method to the two example actinides are displayed, while the considerations in method design and the required conditions are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Choppin GR and Silva RJ (1956) Separation of the lanthanides by ion exchange with alpha-hydroxy isobutyric acid, University of California–Berkeley report no. UCRL-3265

  2. Robinson SM, Benker DE, Collins ED, Ezold JG, Garrison JR, Hogle SL (2020) Production of Cf-252 and other transplutonium isotopes at Oak Ridge National laboratory. Radiochim Acta 108(9):737–746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Baybarz RD, Knauer JB, Orr PB (1973) Final isolation and purification of the transplutonium elements from the twelve campaigns conducted at tru during the period August 1967 – December 1971, ORNL Report 4672 UC-4

  4. Peppard DF, Moline SW, Mason GW (1957) Isolation of berkelium by solvent extraction of the tetravalent species. J Inorg Nucl Chem 4(1957):344–348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Du M, Tan R, Boll R (2019) Application of a dual column method to selectively extract and purify Bk-249 from other actinides and impurities, ORNL report no. ORNL/TM-2019/1138

  6. Moore FL (1967) New method for rapid separation of Bk (IV) from Ce (IV) by anion exchange. Anal Chem 39:1874–1876

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Makarova TP, Fridkin AM, Kosyakov VN, Yerin EA (1979) Electromigration of Bk (IV) and some other tetravalent cations in nitric acid solutions. J Radioanal Chem 53(1–2):17–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nilsson S, Strang P, Aksnes AK, Franzen L, Olivier P et al (2012) A Randomized, dose-response, multicenter phase ii study of radium-223 chloride for the palliation of painful bone metastases in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer 48:678–686

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Parker C, Heinrich D, O’Sullivan JM, Fossa S, Chodacki A et al (2012) Overall survival benefit of radium-223 chloride (alpharadin) in the treatment of patients with symptomatic bone metastases in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) a phase iii randomized trial (ALSYMPCA). Eur J Cancer 47(2):3

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hall EJ, Giaccia AJ (2006) Radiobiology for the radiologist, 6th ed., Lippincott Wilkins & Williams, Philadelphia, USA, ISBN: 0–7817–4151–3

  11. Mendes M, Aupiais J, Jutier C, Pointurier F (2013) Determination of weight distribution ratios of Pa(V) and Np(V) with some extraction chromatography resins and the AG1-X8 resin. Anal Chim Acta 780:110–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Skinner M, Knight D (2016) The behavior of selected fission products and actinides on UTEVA resin. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307:2549–2555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ostapenko V, Sinenko I, Arefyeva E, Lapshina E, Ermolaev S (2017) Sorption of protactinium (V) on extraction chromatographic resins from nitric and hydrochloric solutions. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311(2):1545–1550

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Vajda N, Molnar Z, and Osvath S (2002), Use of UTEVA for the separation of Th, U, Np and Pu, Presentation at eichrom European users’ meeting, Vienna, Austria

  15. Pourmand A, Dauphas N (2010) Distribution coefficients of 60 elements on TODGA resin: application to Ca Lu, Hf, U and Th isotope geochemistry. Talanta 81:741–753

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Knight AW, Eitrheim ES, Nelson AW, Nelson S, Schultz MK (2014) A Simple-rapid method to separate uranium thorium, and protactinium for u-series age-dating of materials. J Environ Radioactiv 134:66–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hopkins PD, Mastren T, Florek J, Copping R, Brugh M, John KD, Nortier MF, Birnbaum ER, Kleitz F, Fassbender ME (2018) Synthesis and radiometric evaluation of diglycolamide functionalized mesoporous silica for the chromatographic separation of actinides Th Pa and U. Dalton Trans 47:5189–5195

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Korkisch J (1989) Handbook of Ion Exchange Resins Their Application to Inorganic Analytical Chemistry, V4 Niobium and Tantalum, p 257–260, CRC Press, Boca Raton

  19. Steinberg EP (1961) the radiochemistry of niobium and tantalum, p 17

  20. Wyatt WL Rickard RR (1961) The radiochemistry of ruthenium p 19

  21. Mastren T, Stein BW, Parker TG, Radchenko V, Copping R, Owens A, Wyant LE, Brugh M, Kozimor SA, Nortier FM, Birnbaum ER, John KD, Fassbender ME (2018) Separation of protactinium employing sulfur-0based extraction chromatographic resins. Anal Chem 90:7012–7017

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the US Department of Energy Isotope Program, which is managed by the Office of Science for Isotope R&D and Production. We acknowledge Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Washington for the 232Th foil preparation and the proton irradiation of the target for production of 230Pa and 230U. Also, we acknowledge ORNL HFIR for their continued support to Cf-252 program.

Funding

Office of Isotope R and D and Production, Heavy Actinides Program, Miting Du

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miting Du.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Du, M. Applications of a dual-column technique in actinide separations. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 5343–5357 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08501-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08501-z

Keywords

Navigation