Separation of americium and curium from complex chemical and radiochemical mixtures

This work describes a method for separation and radiochemical purification of nanogram levels of americium and curium from complex chemical and radiochemical mixtures containing tens of milligrams of elements such as aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, barium, titanium, potassium, and others, microgram levels of uranium, neptunium, and plutonium, and fission products. Extraction coefficients of americium and curium from these elements are measured. The separation from the macrocomponents was carried out by extraction of americium and curium with butyric acid in the presence of sulfosalicylic acid. Uranium, neptunium, and plutonium were separated from hydrochloric acid solutions, while the rare earth elements were separated from lithium chloride solutions using a column of anion exchange resin AV-17. Alpha measurements were carried out on americium and curium deposited electrolytically on tantalum cathodes. The chemical yield of americium and curium was identical of greater than or equal to 94%, separation time approx. 8 h.