National v Academy of Sciences National1Research Council . E The Radiocheunistry of Plutonium ,“. m COMMlllEE ON NUCLEAR SCIENCE ~. A. Bromley, Chainmm R. D. Evans, Vice Cluri7man Yale University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lewis Slack, Secrekq National Rese=ch COunCtl E. C. Anderson Jerry B. Marion Los Afamo6 Scientific Laboratory University of Maryland N. E. Baflou R. L. PLatman U. S. Naval Radiological Defense Argonne National Laboratory Labomto~ Ernest C. Pollard Martin J. Barger Pennsylvania State University , National Bureau of Standards Katharine Way C. J. Borkowski Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge National Laboratory George W. Wetherill Herbert Goldstein University of California Columbia Uoivereity Marvin E. Wyman Bemd Kahn University of Illinois Taft Sanitary Engineering Center Harold Glsser William S. Rodney Office of Navsl Reeearch National Science Foundation George A. Kolstad Atomic Energy Commission SllWllMMITIEEON RADIOCNEMiSTSY Nathao E. Ballou, Chaivman Julian M. Nielsen U. S. Naval Radiolostcal Defense Battefle Pacific Northwest Lain-atow G. D. O’Ke!.ley G. R. Chq@n Oak Ridge National Laboratory Florida State University E. P. Steinberg Herbert M. Clark Argonne Nationaf Laboratory Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute D. N. Sunderman Richard M. Diamond Battelle Memoriel Institute IJmrence Radiation Laboratory John W. Winchester Jerome Hudla Massachusetts Institute of Technology Brookhaven National Laboratory R. P. Schuman, Consultant Jere D. Knight Sri Venkateswara University Los Alsmos Scientific Laboratow Tirupati, AndhI= Pradesh, India W. E. Nervik Lawrence Radiation Laborstory The Radiochemistry of Plutonium. George” H. Coleman September 1, 1965 UN17JERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Lawrence Radiation Laboratory Livermore, California AEC Contract No. W-7405 -eng-48 Subcommittee on Radiochemistry National Academy of Sciences—National Reaearcb Council Prfmtedin USA. Frice82.00. Available from the Cles.rin- fm Federal SciemUficondTechnical Information,National Bureauof Standards,U. S. Depnrbnentof CommercerSpringfield,Virginia. i FOREWORD The Subcommittee on Rsdiochemistry is one of a number of subcommittees working under the Committee on Nuclear Science within the National Academy of Sciences - Natioml I&aarch council. Its members represent government, Induetrlal, and unlverslt.y leti=tories In the areas of mmilochemistry and nucl-r chemistry. Support for the activities of this and other subcomnlttees of the Ccmuoittee on Nuclear Science is provided by a gmnt from the National Science Foundation. The Subcomnlttee has concerned Itself with preparation of publications, encouraging and appotiing activities in nuclear education, 6ponsoring sympo~ti on selected cum-ent topics in radlochemistry and nuclear chemistry, and investigating special problems as they arise. A series of monographs on the mdio- chemistry of essentially all the elements and on mdioclwnical techniques is being published. Initiation and encouragement of publication of artlcleB on nuclear education in various subject areas of chemistry have occurred, and development and improvement of certain educational activities (e.g., laboreto~ and demonstmtion experiments with mdioectivity) have been encouraged and assisted. Radioactive contamination of reagents and materials has been investigated and specific recommendations rmde. This series of monographs has resulted from the need for comprehensive compilations of mdiochemical and nuclaar chemical tifommtion. Each monogmph collects in one volume the pertinent Information required for mdlochemlcal work with an tiditidul element or with a specialized technique. The U. S. Atomic Energy Commission has sponsored the printing of the series. Ccumnents and suggestions for further publications and activities of value to persons working with radioactivity are welcomed by the Subcommittee. M. E. &llou, Chairman Subcommittee on Rsdiochemistry iii PREFACE This report has been prepared as one of a series of monographs on the radio- chemistry of the elements for the Subcommittee on RadioChemistry of the Committee on IWmlear Science within the National Academy of Sciences. There is included a review of the nuclear and chernic~ features of plutonium of particular interest to the radiochemist, a discussion of sample disacilution “&d counting techniques, and finally, a collection of radiochemical procedures for plutonium. The literature search was completed apprmdmately through September 1964. It is hoped that the bibliography is sufficiently extensive to serve the needs of the radiochemiet, but it is to be expected that important references were o~tted. The author would appreciate being made aware of such omissions, that they might be included in possible future editions of this monograph. The author wishes to express thanks to Dr. Earl Hyde, for the loan of his extensive card file on the rmiiochemietry of plutonium, to Carl Wenari&h and the staff of the LRL Library” who greatly aaaisted in the literature search, to Mrs. Shauna Ness *O typed the first draft, and to Mra. Vivian R. Mendenhall who competently edit ed the final draft and prepared the bibliography. I%mlly the auf.bor thanks his colleagues at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, especially Dr. R. W. Hoff, for reading and criticizing the manuscript, and Dr. P. C. Stevenson for his conthued interest and support during the writing of this monograph. George H. Coleman Lawrence Radiation Laboratory University of Caltiornia Livermore, California iv CONTENTS I. General Reviews of the Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry of Plutonium . 1 II. General Reviews of the Radiochemistry of Plutonium . 2 III. Table of Isotopes of Plutonium . 3 rv. Chemistry of Plutonium of Special Interest to the Radiochemist 4 A. Metallic Plutonium . , . 4 A. 1 Preparation . 4 A. 2 Physical Properties . 4 A. 3 Chemical Properties . 4 B. Compounds of Pu . 6 c. Plutonium Ions in Solution . 8 C. 1 Oxidation States . 8 C. 2 Oxidation Reduction Reactions . 9 C. 3 Disproportionation Reactions . 9 C. 4 Radiolytic Reduction of Pu Solutions 15 C. 5 Hydrolytic Reactions of Plutonium 15 C. 6 Pu(IV) Polymer . 16 C. 7 Complex Ion Formation . 17 D. Separation Methods . 24 D. 1 Co-precipitation and Precipitation 24 D. 2 Solvent Extraction Methods . 28 D. 3 Ion Exchange . ., 75 v. Dissolution of Plutonium Samples for Analysis 96 A. Metallic Plutonium . 96 B. Other Compounds . 96 c. Biological and Environmental Samples . 96 VI. Source Preparation and Counting Methods . 96 A. Source Preparation . 96 A. 1 Direct Evaporation . 97 A. 2 Electrodeposition . 97 A. 3 Other Methods . 99 B. Counting . 99 VII. Safety Considerations . 102 A. Radioactive Safety . , . 102 B. Criticality Safety . 103 VIII. Collection of Procedures . 105 A. Introduction . 105 B. Listing of Contents . 105 Procedure 1. Determination of Pu in solutions containing large amounts of Feand Cr . , . 108 Procedure 2. Separation and determination of Pu by TTA extraction . 112 v CONTENTS (Continued) Page No. Procedures (Continued) Procedure 3. Separation and determination of Pu in U – fission product mixtures . 114 Procedure 4. Plutonium . 116 Procedure 5. Plutonium . 118 Procedure 6. Separation of Plutonium from Uranium and Fission Products in Irradiated Reactor Targets . 122 Procedure 7. Determination of Pu . 124 Procedure 8. Uranium and Plutonium Analysis . 126 Procedure 9a. Separation of Plutonium from Irradiated Uranium. 129 Procedure 9b. Separation of Plutonium from Uranium Metal 130 “Procedure 10. Purification of Plutonium from Uranium and Fission Products . 131 Procedure 11. Uranium and Plutonium from Environmental Samples of SO1l, Vegetation and Water . 132 Procedure 12. Plutonium from Environmental Water Samples . 134 Procedure 13. Plutonium from Environmental Water Samples . 137 Procedure 14. Separation of Plutonium in Uranium-Plutonium Fission Element Alloys by TBP Extraction from Chloride Solutions . 140 Procedure 15. Separation of Pu before Spectrographic Analysis of Lrnpurities Anion Exchange Method . 142 Procedure 16. Separation of Plutonium Before Spectrographic Analysis of Impurities. Extraction Chromatography Method Using TBP . 144 Procedure 17. Separation of Np and Pu by Anion Exchange . 148 Procedure 18. Separation of Np and Pu by Cation Exchange Chromatography . 149 Procedure 19. Determination of Plutonium in Urine . 150 Procedure 20. Determination of PU239 in Urine (Small Area Electrodeposition Procedure) . 153 Procedure 21. Determination of Plutonium in Urine . 155 Procedure 22. Determination of Americium in Urine in the Presence of Plutonium . 156 Procedure 23. Determination of Plutonium in Urine by Anion Exchange . 161 Procedure 24. Determination of Plutonium in Urine by Co- crystallization with Potassium Rhodizonate . 164 Procedure 25. Determination of Plutonium in Urine and Bone Ash by Extraction with Primary Amines . 166 Glossary . 167 References . 169 vi The Radiochemistry of Plutonium GEORGE H. COLEMAhT Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, University of California Livermore, California I. GENERAL REVIEWS OF THE INORGANIC AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY OF PLUTONIUM 1. J. J. Katz and G. T. Seaborg, , “The Chemistry of the Actinide Elements, ” Chap. VII, (John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, 1957), pp. 239-325. 2. “Plutonium,” in Nouveau Traite de Chimie Minerale, Paul Pascal, Genl. Ed. Vol. xv, “Uranium et Transuraniens” (Masson et Cie, Paris, 1962) pp 324-864. 3. “The Complex Compounds of the Transtiranium ElementsJ” A. D. Gellman, A. I. Moskvin, L. M. Zaitsev, and M. P. Mefod’eva (Consultants Bureau, New York, 1962 transl. by C.