(193f) Examining the Radiation Stability of Chromatographic Materials

Radiation stability is a critical factor in the development and application of materials in various fields, such as nuclear energy and medicine. Understanding the effects of ionizing radiation on materials is crucial for designing more radiation-resistant materials, including those used for the separation and purification of radioactive analytes in extraction chromatography.

In this study, the radiation stability of support materials functionalized with bis-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) was studied by exposing them to a ~100 kCi ⁶⁰Co gamma source. The support materials were in contact with an aqueous nitric acid solution of varying concentrations (0.1–1.0 M) and received doses ranging from 10–500 kGy. The extraction chromatographic materials were tested for europium uptake via batch extraction. The extraction performance was compared for three different types of materials: diatomaceous earth, carbon black, and polymeric resin. Additionally, europium uptake was evaluated using nonirradiated and irradiated solutions without a support material (i.e., solvent extraction) to understand the role that support materials play in radiation resistance.

This study aims to elucidate the relationship between support materials and their radiation tolerance, and to offer insight into the design and development of radiation-resistant materials for extraction chromatography. The results of this study will be analyzed to gain better understanding of the radiation stability of support materials and how it impacts their effectiveness in extraction chromatography. These finding will have important practical applications in the development of radiation-resistant materials for the separation and purification of radionuclides.