Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Application of different types of resins in the radiometric determination of uranium in waters

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

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare different resins regarding their separation and pre-concentration efficiency for uranium from aqueous solutions and its subsequent radiometric determination by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). The different types of the investigated resins include: (a) a pure cation-exchange resin (Dowex Marathon C), (b) a complex forming resin (Chelex 100) and (c) an impregnated resin (5% diethylene glycol succinate on Chromosorb W-H). The radiometric measurements were performed after mixing of the pre-concentrated aqueous phase with the liquid scintillation cocktail. The effect of experimental conditions such as pH, salinity (e.g. [NaCl]) and the presence of other chemical species (e.g. Ca2+ and Fe3+ ions or humic acid and silica colloids) on the separation recovery have been investigated at constant uranium/radioactivity concentration. According to the experimental results the maximum chemical recovery differs significantly from one resin to another as a function of either, pH or the other chemical parameters. The optimum pH is found to be 8, 4 and 8 for Marathon C, Chelex-100 and diethylene glycol succinate, respectively. On the other hand, generally Ca2+ and Fe3+ ions as well as the presence of colloidal species in solution (even at low concentrations) result in a significant decrease of the chemical recovery of uranium, particularly for Marathon C and the diethylene glycol succinate impregnated resins. Generally, among the studied resins Chelex 100 was superior regarding chemical recovery, selectivity, regeneration and reuse.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gómez EV, Tome FV, Lozano JC, Sanchez AM (1998) Extractive procedure for uranium determination in water samples by liquid scintillation counting. Appl Radiat Isot 49:875–883

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Happel S, Letessier P, Ensinger W, Eikenberg JH, Thakkar AH, Horwitz EP (2004) Gross alpha determination in drinking water using a highly specific resin and LSC. Appl Radiat Isot 61:339–344

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Vaninbroukx R, Stanef I (1973) Present status in the field of precision liquid scintillation counting. Nucl Instrum Methods 112:111–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Zikovsky L (2002) Determination of alpha radioactivity in ground water by precipitation of alpha emitters with sulphates and hydroxides. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 251:329–331

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Antoniou S, Costa C, Pashalidis I (2006) Alpha radiometry of seawater by liquid scintillation counting. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 270:593–596

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Antoniou S, Tsiaili A, Pashalidis I (2008) Alpha radiometry of uranium in surface and ground waters by liquid scintillation counting after separation of the radionuclide by cation exchange. Radiat Meas 43:1294–1298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Prasada Rao T, Metilda P, Gladis JM (2006) Preconcentration techniques for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) prior to analytical determination—an overview. Talanta 68:1047–1064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Vajda N, Kim C-K (2010) Determination of Pu isotopes by alpha spectrometry: a review of analytical methodology. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 283:203–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kiliari T, Pashalidis I (2010) Simplified alpha-spectroscopic analysis of uranium in natural waters after its separation by cation-exchange. Radiat Meas 45:966–968

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pashalidis I, Tsertos H (2004) Radiometric determination of uranium in natural waters after enrichment and separation by cation-exchange and extraction techniques. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 260:439–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Guillaumont R, Fanghänel Th, Fuger J, Grenthe I, Neck V, Palmer DA, Rand MH (2003) Update of the chemical thermodynamics of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, and technetium. Elsevier, OECD-NEA, Paris, pp 120–130

    Google Scholar 

  12. Skoog DA, West DM, Holler FJ (1994) Analytical chemistry—an introduction, 6th edn. Sounders College Publishing, Philadelphia, PA

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lehto J, Paajanen A, Harjula R, Leinonen H (1994) Hydrolysis and H+/Na+ exchange by Chelex 100 chelating resin. React Polym 23:135–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Atzei D, Ferri T, Sadun C, Sangiorgio P, Caminiti R (2001) Structural characterization of complexes between iminodiacetate blocked on styrene-divinylbenzene matrix (Chelex 100 Resin) and Fe(III), Cr(III), and Zn(II) in solid phase by energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. J Am Chem Soc 123:2552–2558

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Hafez MB, Abo El-Khair BM (1983) Separation of some radionuclides from fission elements by adsorption on diethylene glycol succinate. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 78:25–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hafez MB, Nazmy AF, Eldesoky MM (1977) Fixation of radioactive elements on diethylene-glycol-succinate and its use for the determination of gross radioactivity in urine. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 41:29–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Soupioni M, Symeopoulos B, Athanasiou J, Giolis A, Koutsoukos P, Tsolis-Katagas P (1999) A preliminary study of mercury uptake by a Greek zeoliferous rock in “Natural microporous materials in environmental technology” ed by Misaelides P, Macasek F, Pinnavaia TJ, Colella C. NATO Sci Ser E 362:365–369

  18. Missana T, García-Gutiérrez M, Fernńdez V (2003) Uranium(VI) sorption on colloidal magnetite under anoxic environment: experimental study and surface complexation modeling. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 67:2543–2550

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pashalidis I, Buckau G (2007) U(VI) mono-hydroxo humate complexation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 273:315–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Konstantinou M, Pashalidis I (2010) Competitive sorption of Cu(II), Eu(III) and U(VI) ions on dunite in aqueous solutions: a potentiometric study. Int J Environ Technol Manag 12:322–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Degueldre C, Triay I, Kim JI, Vilks P, Laaksoharju M, Miekeley N (2000) Groundwater colloid properties: a global approach. Appl Geochem 15:1043–1051

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research leading to these results has received funding from the University of Cyprus.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus, PO Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Maria Kyriakou & Ioannis Pashalidis

Authors
  1. Maria Kyriakou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ioannis Pashalidis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ioannis Pashalidis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kyriakou, M., Pashalidis, I. Application of different types of resins in the radiometric determination of uranium in waters. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 287, 773–778 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0883-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0883-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation