Optimization of the radiochemical separation and determination for 147Pm and 151Sm in nuclear waste samples

This work describes the development and optimization of the radiochemical separation of 147Pm and 151Sm. The two main challenges addressed were: the radiochemical separation of the lanthanides by using LN Resin and DGA,N Resin, and the quantification of the chemical recovery of 147Pm with a non-isotopic analogue (i.e. neodymium). The applicability of radiochemical separation procedures was investigated by using spiked samples. The optimized radiochemical separation procedure by using LN Resin was applied to a reactor cooling water primary coolant sample with an automated system. Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) was used to determine the chemical recoveries.