Separation of no-carrier-added 109Cd from natural silver target using RTIL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate

Abstract

The room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C4mim][PF6] has various applications in the separation of a range of metal ions replacing volatile and toxic traditional organic solvents in liquid–liquid extraction systems. In this study, the RTIL [C4mim][PF6] was used to separate no-carrier-added (NCA) 109Cd from α-particle irradiated Ag target. A natural Ag foil was bombarded by 30 MeV α-particles to produce 109Cd. After the decay of all co-produced short-lived products, NCA 109Cd was separated from the bulk Ag using [C4mim][PF6] as extractant from HNO3 medium. Ammoniumpyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) was used as a complexing agent. At the optimum condition, 3 M HNO3, 0.01 M APDC in presence of [C4mim][PF6], ~99 % bulk Ag was extracted to the IL phase, leaving NCA 109Cd in the aqueous phase. The amount of Ag became negligibly small after re-extraction in the same condition. The ionic liquid was recovered by washing it with 1 M HCl.