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Separation and quantification of 90Sr from ion-exchange resin radioactive waste: methods and techniques of analysis

  • Aurelia Magdalena Dianu ORCID logo EMAIL logo and Relu Ion Dobrin
Published/Copyright: February 18, 2020

Abstract

Four methods for 90Sr separation from spent ion-exchange resin samples were carried out, offering a useful methodology to achieve interferences free 90Sr fractions. The four methods consist in resin sample decomposition, pre-treatment and selective separation of 90Sr by using: (a) a single chromatographic extraction process, (b) double chromatographic extraction, (c) a single chromatographic extraction process followed in sequence by two precipitations, and (d) ion-exchange chromatography, followed by extraction chromatography and precipitation. Mineralization by microwave acid digestion and the four 90Sr separation methods thoroughly presented are available. Data processing methods (adjustable modified efficiency tracing – a new improved approach for the efficiency tracing LSC technique, non-linear regression and α-β discrimination) to obtain the activities values of α, β-γ, pure β emitters and the evaluation of chemical recovery yield of strontium were presented. A discussion about activity assessment in 90Sr purified fractions, providing a convincing argument to support the accuracy of the 90Sr separation methods, is also offered.

  1. Disclosure statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

  2. Funding: This work was supported by the Romanian Institute for Nuclear Research under Grant [number 3936].

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Received: 2019-09-30
Accepted: 2020-01-21
Published Online: 2020-02-18
Published in Print: 2020-08-27

©2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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