Nuclear and radiochemical techniques in chemical analysis. Progress report, August 1, 1978-July 31, 1979

Studies of homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction have been extended to include (1) a detailed determination of the phase diagram of the system propylene carbonate-water, (2) the extraction of a large variety of both monodentate and bidentate iron complexes, (3) the solvent extraction characteristics of analogues of propylene carbonate, (4) the behavior under pressure of the propylene carbonate water system, and (5) the extraction behavior of alkaline earth - TTA chelates. One consequence of these studies was the observation that the addition of ethanol to propylene carbonate-water or to isobutylene carbonate-water yields a single homogeneous phase. Subsequent evaporation of the ethanol restores the two immiscible phases. Past neutron activation analysis has been attempted for the heavy elements Pb, Bi, Tl at the Brookhaven HFBR (in- or near-core position) and at the Brookhaven CLIF facility. The latter appears more promising and we have initiated a collaborative program to use the CLIF facility. A milking system which can provide ca. 16 μCi of carrier-free 212Pb was developed for use in an isotope dilution technique for lead. Collaboration with laboratories already determining trace lead by flameless Atomic Absorption or by concentration by electrodeposition into a hanging drop followed by Anodic stripping will be proposed. The Proton X-Ray Emission system has undergone marked improvement with the acquisition of a new high resolution Si(Li) detector and a new multi-channel analyzer system. Various techniques have been explored to dissolve and prepare samples for PIXE analysis and also for verification by Atomic Absorption analysis