Separation of137Cs and90Sr from mineralizates of biological materials by dicarbolide of cobalt

Abstract

The distribution of some radionuclides in the course of137Cs and90Sr extraction and scrubbing between organic and water phase was determined.137Cs and90Sr were isolated from the mixture of radionuclides in mineralized biological materials. Dicarbolide of cobalt i. e. 3,3′-commo-bis[undecahydro-1,2-dicarbo-3-closo-dodecaborate] was used as an extracting agent. Quantities of the extracted radionuclides were determined by gamma spectrometric technique. Single and repeated extraction of90Sr with 0.01M resp. 0.1M dicarbolide of cobalt in nitrobenzene and scrubbing of coextracted radionuclides by 0.5M HNO3 were studied. The extraction of90Sr was investigated from solutions of a hydrofobizing agent in the same way. Finally, the quantitative extraction of137Cs followed by the extraction of90Sr from mixtures of radionuclides in a mineralized biological material was studied. Extraction yields from dry and wet mineralizates of biological tissues, from urine and milk were compared. Suitable working conditions for the separation procedures were selected.