Recent developments in extraction chromatography have simplified the separation of americium from complex matrices in preparation for alpha-spectroscopy relative to traditional methods. Here we present results of procedures developed/adapted for water, air, and bioassay samples with less than 1 g of inorganic residue. Prior analytical methods required the use of a complex, multistage procedure for separation of americium from these matrices. The newer, simplified procedure requires only a single 2 mL extraction chromatographic separation for isolation of Am and lanthanides from other components of the sample. This method has been implemented on an extensive variety of "real" environmental and bioassay samples from the Los Alamos area, and consistently reliable and accurate results with appropriate detection limits have been obtained. The new method increases analytical throughput by a factor of approximately 2 and decreases environmental hazards from acid and mixed-waste generation relative to the prior technique. Analytical accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability are also significantly improved over the more complex and laborious method used previously.

No abstract

No abstract

Deliverable for FαST project: Ln Resin based PLE This memo describes the fabrication of a polymer ligand extractant based on Eichrom's LN-1 resin. This work has been in support of the Fast Alpha Spectrometry Tool (FαST) project. The first part of LANL's role in this project is to evaluate new extractants for use in polymer ligand extractants (PLEs). The first new extractant evaluated is Di(2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP), which is an effective metal extractant. It has very efficient chelating properties for a wide variety of metal ions. HDEHP is an amphiphillic molecule with two long hydrocarbon chains and a polar end with a phosphoryl oxygen (P=O) and an acidic-OH group as shown in Figure 1.