SIMULATION OF THE RUTHERFORDIUM BEHAVIOR IN DILUTE-SOLUTIONS OF H2SO4AND H2SO4 HF BY ION-EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY/

The behavior of Hf(IV), Pu(TV), and Th(IV) (as homolog and pseudohomol ogs of rutherfordium, respectively), Sr(II) (as homolog of nobelium), and other elements (Am, Cm, and Eu) on Dowex-50 x 8 cation exchanger a nd Dowex-l x 8 anion exchanger in solutions of H2SO4 and H2SO4/HF was studied as influenced by the concentration of acids varied in the inte rvals of 10(-1)-1 M H2SO4 and 10(-4)-1 M HF in 0.05 M H2SO4. The effec t of HF in solutions of H2SO4 on the distribution coefficients of Hf i s significantly higher than in the case of Sr and Eu, and actinides (C m and Pu), which is probably related to stronger tendency of d-transit ion elements to form fluoride and sulfate-fluoride complexes in mixed H2SO4/HF solutions. The optimal conditions for separation of the Group NE elements of the periodic system from Sr, Eu and actinides (Cm and Pu) were determined. The outlet elution curves of Hf-181 from the cati on-and anion-exchange columns under the conditions simulating recovery of (261)Rf from irradiated targets were registered. The possibility o f predicting the chemical properties of short-lived heavy and transact inide elements by comparative investigation of their lighter homologs and pseudohomologs in various solutions is discussed.