THE RADIOCHEMISTRY OF PLUTONIUM - Sciencemadness.org

Procedure 9a. Separation of Plutonium from Irradiated Uranium R. O. Lingjaerde
(Ref. 255)
Outline of Method
The Pu, U and fission products are adsorbed on a cation exchange column
from 0.3-0.5 ~ HN03 and washed with 0.5 ~ HN03. The U and fission products are
then eluted with 2.0 ~ HC1, and the Pu is stripped with 8 ~ HC1. The Pu is then
adsorbed onto anion exchange resin, washed with 8 ~ HC1, and finally stripped with
2 M HC1.
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Procedure
5 ml of stock solution (containing about 15 pg Pu), 5 ml of 4.0 ~ HN03
and 5 ml of 1.0 ~ NaN02 were mixed in a flask, and made up to a volume of 50 ml
with water. X02- reduces Pu(VI) to Pu(IV). Care has to be taken that concentration
of HN03 is not allowed to fall below O. 1~, since Pu then will hydrolyse and conse-
quently coagulate on the column.
This solution was adsorbed on Dowex 50 (140-160 mesh) and the column
was washed with 0.5 ~ HN03. Then 2.0 ~ HC1 was applied to elute U and accompany-
ing fission products, The washing with 2.0 ~ HC1 was continued until the ~-activity
was close to background.
Pu and remaining fission products were eluted with 8 ~ HC1, a small
amount of concentrated HN03 + some NaN02 added (to oxidize Pu(LH) to Pu(IV)), and
this fraction was transferred to another column containing Dowex 1 (50- 100 mesh),
which beforehand had been washed with concentrated HC1 containing a little concentrated
HN03 .
After the sorption step, the column was washed with 8 ~ HC1 (containing a
little concentrated HN03) until the effluent was practically free from ~ -activity.
Finally the Pu was eluted with 2.8 ~ HC1.
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