Rapid separation method for protactinium from uranium using manganese oxide filter cake

Adsorption and separation performance of protactinium (Pa) on a manganese oxide (MnO2)filter cake was studied by measurements of α-, β-, and γ-rays and the results compared with those ofsolid-phase extraction using MnO2 and TK400 resins. The MnO2 filter cake method demonstratedexcellent recovery. Radiochemical purity was comparable with that achieved by other newly developedmethods, with only small amounts of contamination by Bi, Ra, Ac, Th, and U. The method, originallydeveloped for recovering Pa from uranium solutions, has the merit of rapidity in chemical separation. Itmay be able to be applied to other purposes, such as investigation of the chemical properties of dubnium,a superheavy element.