Eichrom Resin Columns: A New breakthrough

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Eichrom Resin Columns A New breakthrough

• Anil Thakkar
• Eichrom Users Group Workshop
• May 3, 2005
• Oak Ridge, TN

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Background details

• Stripping issues of Th on TEVA prepacked columns
  reported by numerous customers
• Investigated all the components of the prepacaked
  column to trouble shoot the problem resin,
  column body, resin bead size, frits.

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Previously discussed investigations.

• Column frits identified as the main cause of the
  problem
• Investigations on frits led to the understanding
  of different frit types
• Frits with ionic surfactant
• Impact Th elution from TEVA columns
• Impact low level U elution on UTEVA columns
• Frits with no surfactant
• Measured slow flow rates at gravity
• Mechanical pressure required to start the flow
• Measured inconsistent flow rates

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Additional issues reported

• Poor elution of low level U on UTEVA columns
  reported
• An inconsistent elution of Th on UTEVA columns
  has been observed

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Additional research continues

• A non-ionic surfactant frit material found and
  put to test

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TEVA Column Performance Test

• Columns packed with non-ionic frit material
• Measured performance of columns over a period of
  time

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TEVA Columns Th Yields
of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
1 day 68 8 101 7
8 days 73 5 102 5
16 days 33 7 104 7
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TEVA Columns Pu Yields with 0.5M HCl
of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
22 day lt 2 84 6
INEEL procedure uses 0.5M HCl to elute Pu
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TEVA Columns Am Yields(Am/ Lanthanide
Separation)
of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
1 day 107 2 105 2
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TEVA Columns Tc-99 Yields
of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
22 day 98 1 98 1
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• UTEVA, TRU, Sr and Ln columns tested after
• 2 weeks of packing

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UTEVA Columns U Th Yields
Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
U 105 1 103 7
Th lt1 88 11
Th eluted with 5M HCl/0.05M oxalic acid
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TRU Columns Am Pu Yields
Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
Am 100 6 102 4
Pu 109 2 89 12
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Sr Columns Sr Yields Recoveries
Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
Stable Sr 98 4 99 3
Sr-90 101 8 103 10
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Ln Columns Ac-228 Yields
Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic)
Ac-228 93 4 102 3
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Improvements Summary

• Non-ionic surfactant frits improve performance
• Th elution on TEVA
• Th elution on UTEVA
• Pu elution on TEVA
• No impact observed on the performance of the
  following products with non-ionic frits
• Am Pu on TRU resin
• Tc-99, Am on TEVA resin
• Sr elution on Sr resin
• Ac elution on Ln resin

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Future resin column inventory

• Preliminary evaluation of prepacked column
  products with the new frits (non-ionic
  surfactant) has been extremely satisfactory
• New frit inventory for future production has been
  ordered
• Current inventory has old frits (ionic
  surfactant) in the prepacked column products
• Any users of TEVA resin and UTEVA resin prepacked
  columns may consider cartridges in the interim
• Contact Eichrom for further assistance