Study of the isotopic exchange associated with ionic exchange for the radiochemical separation of 233-Th

The isotopic ion exchange procedure is applied in order to establish an analytical method for the determination of thorium by means of the 233Th activity, when the presence of interfering elements does not allow a direct non-destructive activation analysis. The separation is based on the retention of 233Th by a thorium saturated resin, due to the isotopic exchange effect, and subsequent elution of the interfering radioisotopes with a solution of thorium in diluted hydrochloric acid. The interfering elements were those which either present a great affinity for the resin or emit gamma rays with energies close to that of 233Th (86.6 KeV), when a NaI(Tl) detector is used to obtain the gama-ray spectra of the irradiated samples. The equilibrium time for the thorium isotopic ion exchange and the distribution coefficients for the interfering elements were determined by using Bio-Rad AG 50W resins (100-200 mesh), with 4% to 8% of divinylbenzene. The best separation conditions were established in terms of the thorium and hydrochloric acid concentrations in the solution, the resin cross-linking degree, and the solution flow through the resin. The analytical method was applied to the determination of thorium in samples of ammonium diuranate as well in standard rock samples from the United States Geological Survey. The sensitivity, precision and accuracy of the method are also discussed. (Author)