title: Neptunium(III) application in extraction chromatography.
abstract: This paper describes a novel strategy for actinide separation by extraction chromatography with Np(III) valence adjustment. Neptunium(IV) was reduced to Np(III) using Cr(II) and then selectively separated from uranium (IV) on a TEVA resin. After elution, Np(III) was retained on a DGA resin in order to remove any detrimental chromium impurities. Neptunium(III) formation was demonstrated by the complete and selective elution of Np from TEVA resin (99 ± 7%) in less than 12 mL of 9M HCl from U(IV) (0.7 ± 0.7%). It was determined by UV-visible and kinetic studies that Cr(II) was the only species responsible for the elution of Np(IV) as Np(III) and that the Cr(II) solution could be prepared from 2 to 30 min before its use without the need of complex degassing systems to prevent the oxidation of Np(III) by oxygen. The methodology proposed here with TEVA/DGA resins provides removal of Cr(III) impurities produced at high decontamination factors (2.8 × 10(3) and 7.3 × 10(4) respectively).
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Radioécologie, Département de chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, Canada, G1V 0A6. nicolas.guerin.1@ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guérin
authors.forename: Kenny
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nadeau
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Larivière
mesh_terms: D008671:Actinoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002845:Chromatography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry; D004867:Equipment Design; D009405:Neptunium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014501:Uranium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D008671:Actinoid Series Elements; D002857:Chromium; D014501:Uranium; D009405:Neptunium