Pulsating column separation and preconcentration of radioiodine on hydrophobic organic reagent loaded resilient open-cell polyurethane foam

Abstract

The method is based on the resiliency of the open-cell polyurethane foam filling used in a pulsing bed column. A liquid anion exchanger containing I2 has been used as a hydrophobic organic phase immobilized in the polyurethane foam matrix. Forced flow of the mobile phase during successive pulsing of the column bed results in high preconcentration factors with practically quantitative separation yields. The pulsated column technique may also be conveniently automated. It can be utilized most advantageously for the rapid determination of low activity radioiodine in environmental waters mainly in routine field analysis.