Application of diamylbutyl phosphonate for pre-concentration of actinides

Extraction chromatography combines the selectivity of liquid-liquid extraction with the simplicity of chromatographic methods. The separation of the radionuclides is based on the distribution of the metal ion between extractant coated onto an inert matrix (stationary phase) and amobile (aqueous) phase. These sorbed extractants are commercially available for the separation and preconcentration of actinide ions and selected fission products from biological, environmental, and nuclear waste samples for subsequent determination. The commercially available UTEVA resin used for preconcentration of uranium was developed by Horwitz et al. The present work was undertaken to identify a cheaper and alterative extractant for UTEVA resin. This paper gives the results of studies carried out on U(VI) and Th(IV) using diamylbutylphosphonate (DABP) impregnated on XAD-7 resin, which is an unsymmetrical homologue of diamylamylphosphonate