August 1973
4Qo772
an
:
PLUTONTUM TN THF RIKINI WATFR SAMPLFS
This is a preliminarv report on the plutonium isotopes in
the Pikini water samples collected and nrocessed on the research vessel
"Palumbo" from October 1972 - December 1972.
The procedure followed for the water samples was as follows:
About 100 - 400 liters of unfiltered water were acidified to
pil 1
- 2 with Con-liC]
in the steel settling towers 80" high.
\v
The water was stirred by a rising column of air hubbles.
Spikes of Pu242 and Am243, along with 10 mg Fe/liter as a
vo
av
chloride and 0.25 ml/liter of 0.3% Separan as a coagulant,
‘were added.
The spikes contained 4.442 dpm of Pu 242
1.697 dpm Am243,
ang
The pH was raised to a valne of & - @ hy
addition of ammonium hydroxide, the stirring continued for
an additional
39 - 40 minutes and the precipitate was
allowed to settle for two to six hours.
Fach precipitate
was removed thru a valve at the bottom of the settling
tower and centrifuged to a final volume of 190 mi of floculant precipitate.
The ferric hydroxide precipitate was dissolved in minimum
amount of Con-HC1, warmed and centrifuged.
Undissoived
residue was treated with HNOz and HF to remove organic
matter and silica.
After repeated evaporation with HINOz,
the residue was dissolved in a minimum amount of 8N JIC] and
added to the original
solution.
In a few earlier samples,
fuming perchloric acid was used, hut is now heing ahandoned
20039521
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vey’
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