DIPEX - A NEW EXTRACTION CHROMATOGRAPHIC MATERIAL FOR THE SEPARATION AND PRECONCENTRATION OF ACTINIDES FROM AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

A novel extraction chromatographic resin consisting of a liquid diphos phonic acid supported on an inert polymeric substrate for the sorption of actinides from strongly acidic chloride media is described. The re sin is shown to exhibit stronger affinity for actinides in the tri-, t etra- and hexavalent oxidation states and superior selectivity for ame ricium(III) over aluminum(III) or iron(III) than an analogous chelatin g ion-exchange resin containing chemically bonded geminally substitute d diphosphonic acid functionalities. These properties, along with the comparative ease of recovery of sorbed actinides, make the resin readi ly applicable to the separation and preconcentration of actinides, as a group, from complex matrices such as soils and bioassay samples.