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A rapid and efficient automated method for the sequential separation of plutonium and radiostrontium in seawater

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Abstract

A novel method for the simultaneous separation of Pu and 90Sr in seawater is proposed that is based on precipitation and extraction chromatography with an automated radionuclide separator. Pu from seawater is co-precipitated with Fe(OH)2; 90Sr is precipitated as SrCO3. The precipitates are then dissolved in HNO3 and sequentially separated using TEVA and Sr-resin columns on an automated radionuclide separator (MARS, Modular Automated Radionuclide Separator). The yield of Pu and Sr from 1 and 10 L of seawater ranged between 50 and 74 %, and between 77 and 95 %, respectively.

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Acknowledgments

This work was performed under the auspices of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) of Korea, NRF contract No. 2012M2A8A4025915.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Radioactivity Assessment Team, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 989-111 Deadeok-daero, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 305-353, Korea

    Hyuncheol Kim, Kun Ho Chung, Yoonhee Jung, Mee Jang, Mun ja Kang & Geun-Sik Choi

  2. Korea University of Science and Technology, UST 217, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 305-350, Korea

    Yoonhee Jung

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  1. Hyuncheol Kim
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  2. Kun Ho Chung
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  3. Yoonhee Jung
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  4. Mee Jang
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  5. Mun ja Kang
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  6. Geun-Sik Choi
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Correspondence to Hyuncheol Kim.

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Kim, H., Chung, K.H., Jung, Y. et al. A rapid and efficient automated method for the sequential separation of plutonium and radiostrontium in seawater. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 304, 321–327 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3595-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3595-y

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