Characterization of the behavior and mechanism of electrochemical pre-concentration of plutonium from aqueous solution

Abstract

Radiochemical analyses usually require sample preparation typically including a pre-concentration step. Previous work was completed showing the success of electrochemical pre-concentration, as applied to 4f-elements, in reducing the time necessary to pre-concentrate a sample. However, these studies did not include the more electrochemically diverse 5f-elements. The objective of this work was to investigate the ability of a multivalent actinide, plutonium (Pu), to be electrochemically pre-concentrated while maximizing the efficiency of the method and proposing a mechanism of pre-concentration. In an aqueous solution with a mercury film electrode, Pu can successfully pre-concentrate and was proposed to do so via amalgamation.