Eichrom Resin Columns: A New breakthrough Anil Thakkar Eichrom Users’ Group Workshop May 3, 2005 Oak Ridge, TN

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….

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

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

Additional research continues… A ‘non-ionic surfactant’ frit material found and put to test

TEVA Column: Performance Test Columns packed with non-ionic frit material Measured performance of columns over a period of time

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

TEVA Columns: % Pu Yields with 0.5M HCl* # of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) 22 day < 2 84 + 6 *INEEL procedure uses 0.5M HCl to elute Pu

TEVA Columns: % Am Yields (Am/ Lanthanide Separation) # of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) 1 day 107 + 2 105 + 2

TEVA Columns: % Tc-99 Yields # of days since packing Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) 22 day 98 + 1

UTEVA, TRU, Sr and Ln columns tested after 2 weeks of packing

UTEVA Columns: % U & Th Yields Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) U 105 + 1 103 + 7 Th* <1 88 + 11 *Th eluted with 5M HCl/0.05M oxalic acid

TRU Columns: % Am & Pu Yields Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) Am 100 + 6 102 + 4 Pu 109 + 2 89 + 12

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

Ln Columns: % Ac-228 Yields Radionuclide tested Standard Frits (ionic) New Frits (non-ionic) Ac-228 93 + 4 102 + 3

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

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