An Anion-Exchange Method for the Separation of P-32 Activity in Neutron-Irradiated Biological Material

Strong hydrochloric-acid solutions containing small amounts of orthophosphoric and citric acid and radioactive tracers of the elements Na, P, K, Ca, Se, Cr, Mn, Ni, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, La, and Ce were titrated with a water suspension of strongly basic anion-exchange resin in the hydroxide form. The titration was carried out to pH = 3.0. It was followed by filtration of the mixture on the top of a small anion-exchange column in the chloride form and a final washing with water. Phosphorus was quantitatively adsorbed by the resin and the scandium retention was better than 96 per cent. The remaining elements passed quantitatively into the effluent, with the exception of nickel, which was adsorbed to a very small extent