Determination of plutonium americium and curium in soil samples by solvent extraction with trioctylphosphine oxide

A method of Pu, Am and Cm determination in soil samples, which was developed for analyzing samples from territories subjected to radioactive contamination as a result of the Chernobyl accident is described. After preliminary treatment the samples were leached by solution of 7 mol/l HNO23+0.3 mol/l KBrO3 during heating. Pu was isolated by extraction with 0.05 mol TOPO from 7 mol/l HNO3. 144Ce and partially remaining in water phase isotopes of Zr, U and Th were isolated in an extraction-chromatographic column with TOPO and PbO2. Then Am and Cm were extracted by 0.2 mol/l TOPO from solution 1 mol/l HLact+0.07 mol/l DTPA+1 mol/l Al(NO3)3. Alpha-activity of both extracted products was determined in liquid scintillation counter. Chemical yield of plutonium counted to 85±10%, that of americium and curium -75±10%. 17 refs