Rapid Separation of Fission-Product Rare Earths and Yttrium by Electromigration

摘要

The separation of fission-product La, Ce, Pr, Vd and Y was performed in 4 min by electromigration. As complexing agent, nitrilotriacetic acid was used at two concentrations of the NTA ion selected so as to optimize mutual separation of the elements. Rapid location of the zone on the paper strip reached after migration was obtained by color reaction of the carrier added to the irradiated sample. The purity of the elements thus separated was checked by γ-ray spectrometry. At the higher concentration of NTA (_??_NTA_??_=1.0×10-2M, pH=4.1) under which all of rare earths and Y migrate toward the anode, the elements were well separated from each other, although appreciable amounts of other F. P. were also found in each fraction. On the other hand, at the lower NTA concentration (_??_NTA_??_=4.0.×10-3M, PH=2.0) where the F. P. all migrate toward the cathode, each zone contained the isotopes of the respective element almost exclusively, except for a few small photo-peaks attributable to other elements. In each fraction, the 92.5min 142La and 14min 143La, the 14min 146Ce (24min 146Pr), the 24min 146Pr and 12min 147Pr, the 1.8hr 149Nd, the 20.3min 94Y and 10.9min 95Y were identified from the energies of photo-peaks and their decay rates.