Development of a new type of 137Cs/137mBa radioisotope generatorc

Abstract

Results of the development and performance of a new type of /. generator are presented. Batch and column tests employing stable and radioactive CsCl were performed in order to determine the sorption parameters for three different cupper potassium hexacianferrate immobilized on silicagel ion exchange resin. Results showed that the sorption capacity of these systems can reach values in the order of 112 mmol/Kg of dry resin, comparable with those reported in the literature. The retention of more than 95% of cesium with practically no sorption of Barium, showed the high efficiency of these systems for the separation of these two elements. From these results a pilot small / generator, employing the same physical structure of a decayed generator, has been developed and constructed with a nominal activity of 18.5 KBq and a elution efficiency close to 99% that confirms the initial hypothesis of the separation of the pair / in these systems. More than 20 elutions performed after nearly a year and a half working with reliable hydrodynamic characteristics and the absence of in the eluted solution demonstrate the relative long functionality of the new type of / generator, that undoubtedly erect as the scientific newness of the present work.