Electrochemical recovery and analysis of some actinides

First, a brief review of electrochemical properties of actinides in aqueous solution is presented. Differences of amalgamation potentials give the possibility to separate some actinides. The authors also have explored the preparation of mixed amalgams. After the thermal distillation of mercury from U:Ni, U:Sn, Np:Ni and Np:Sn, they have produced intermetallics at a temperature lower than the melting points of the metals. Finally, some applications of electrochemistry in analytical chemistry of actinides are also presented. A computerized stripping adsorption voltammetry system has been developed. The analysis of diluted acetic-cupferon solution indicates a detection limit of ∼ 10-11 M. It is interesting to remark that such a method could be applied to speciation of very diluted actinide solution