Isolation and radiochemical purification of samarium isotopes using ion exchange resins АВ 17×8 AND KU-2

Abstract

The relevance of the research is caused by the need to develop a methodological base for determining 151Sm content in the soil cover of radioactively contaminated territories of Kazakhstan. The developed method for the determining of 151Sm will make it possible to assess the levels of soil contamination with this radionuclide, to determine the character of its spatial distribution, to allow estimating the internal exposure doses for the personnel and the population. The aim of the research is to carry out the isolation and radiochemical purification of samarium isotopes from acid solutions via using ion-exchange resins AV 17×8 and KU-2. Objects: salt solutions based on nitric and hydrochloric acid containing the stable isotopes of some natural, artificial β-emitters and isotopes of U and Th. The concentrations of nitric and hydrochloric acids were equal to the concentrations of the same acids used in the routine analysis of Pu and Am. Concentrations of chemical elements were determined using the Agilent 7700x quadrupole mass spectrometer and the iCAP 6300 Duo atomic emission spectrometer. The results of the experiments on the isolation and radiochemical purification of samarium isotopes from acidic solutions using anion-exchange resin AV 17×8 and cation-exchange resin KU-2 have been presented. It has been shown that the Sm-fraction can be purified from alkaline elements, Tl and U isotopes using the KU-2 cation-exchange resin. In turn, the isotopes U, Fe and Co can be removed using an anion exchange resin in 9M HCl media.