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B. Wierczinski, J.J. de Goeij, K.J. Volkers

Production of high specific activity ²⁷Mg by fast neutron irradiation and recoil-aided leaching

High specific activity ²⁷Mg was produced via recoil-aided leaching from alumina in aqueous medium during irradiation with fast neutrons from a nuclear reactor. After irradiation the aqueous medium was passed through an IC-chelate column, the ²⁴Na formed during irradiation was removed by elution with 0.25 ml · l^-1 sodium acetate and subsequently the ²⁷Mg was eluted with 2 mol · l^-1 hydrochloric acid. Irradiation of alumina with a particle size of 3 μm and a specific surface area of 100 m² · g^-1 in Milli-Q Plus Water yielded 90% of the total ²⁷Mg activity produced. Under standard conditions activities of about 8 · 10⁵ Bq and specific activities of ca. 10¹³ Bq · mol^-1 were obtained at the end of irradiation. The standard working conditions involved irradiation of 200 mg alumina dispersed in 0.5 ml liquid in a fast neutron flux of 3 · 10¹⁵ m^-2 · s^-1 for 15 min, a waiting time of 10 min, and a processing time of 15 minutes. Various alumina samples with different particle sizes and specific surfaces were tested, and the ²⁷Mg yields were fitted to a mathematical function. Since the high leaching yields cannot only be explained by recoil only, other phenomena such as diffusion and leaching aided by the high hydration energy of the Mg²⁺ ion are probably involved.

Radiochimica Acta, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag

Print ISSN: 0033-8230
Volume: 88, 03/2000
Pages: 143

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