Rapid isolation method for radioactive strontium using Empore™ Strontium Rad Disk

Abstract

A rapid and convenient chemical separation method for determining 90 Sr activity in aerosol samples using Empore TM Strontium Rad Disks was established. The method employ ed solid-phase extraction and ion-exchange chromatography, and achieved a Sr yield of > 80%. Furthermore, it completely eliminated 210 Pb, which interferes with 90 Sr radiation counting. Sample pretreatment, chemical separation and Cherenkov light measurement required approximately 4 h, 2.5 h, and 14 days, respectively, to achieve a detection limit of 0.004 Bq. Using the developed method, the 90 Sr concentration and 90 Sr/ 137 Cs activity ratio in aerosol samples collected after the Fukushima nuclear accident were determined.

Activity of 90Sr in Fallout Particles Collected in the Difficult-to-Return Zone around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

“…Strontium-90 in the 2 M HNO 3 solution was quantified by solid-phase extraction coupled with Cherenkov light measurements. 34 The above solution was passed through a Strontium Rad Disc (3 M Inc.) that trapped the dissolved Sr. Subsequently, the immobilized Sr was eluted using 20 mL of 0.02 M EDTA solution.…”

Atmospheric Activity Concentration of 90Sr and 137Cs after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident

“…For analysis of the 90 Sr via LSC, a chemical separation operation is required to obtain the 90 Sr counts from the environmental samples. The 90 Sr isolation method we used in this study was based on a solid-phase extraction and ion-exchange separation method developed by our group …”

“…The calibration curve between the Sr concentration and the counts from the ICP-MS measurement had a linear relationship ( R 2 ≥ 0.9999). The detailed procedures for the separation and measurement were given in a previous paper …”

“…This is one reason why 90 Sr has not yet been widely surveyed. To solve this problem, our group developed a 90 Sr isolation method to measure 90 Sr activity in aerosol samples applied with a solid-phase extraction method . Operation time required for the chemical separation excluding acid-pretreatment was about 2.5 h. By this method, we succeeded to analyze the 90 Sr in many aerosol samples.…”

“…The 90 Sr isolation method we used in this study was based on a solid-phase extraction and ion-exchange separation method developed by our group. 14 We used half or a quarter of the aerosol samples for the chemical separation for the 90 Sr analysis. First, the fraction of the aerosol samples was acid pretreated in aqua regia after adding 1 mg of stable Sr as a carrier.…”