Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Chemistry, Multidisciplinary, Chemistry, RARE-EARTH CONCENTRATE, BONE PAIN PALLIATION, CROWN-ETHER, DICYCLOHEXANO-18-CROWN-6 DCH18C6, RADIATION STABILITY, NUCLEAR-MEDICINE, COMPLEX, SYSTEMS, NITRATE, REDUCTION, europium, samarium, lanthanides, rare earths, solvent extraction, ionic liquids, 03 Chemical Sciences, 34 Chemical sciences

Abstract:

Long-lived europium-154 impurities are formed during the production of medical samarium-153 in a high-flux nuclear reactor. A method to separate these europium impurities from samarium was investigated using the hydrophobic quaternary ammonium ionic liquid Aliquat 336 nitrate. The separation method consists of the selective reduction of Eu3+ by zinc metal in an aqueous feed solution containing a high nitrate salt concentration. Subsequent extraction using undiluted Aliquat 336 nitrate leads to an efficient separation of both lanthanides in a relatively short time frame. Sm3+ was extracted to the neat ionic liquid phase much more efficiently than Eu2+. An initial approach using the addition of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 to capture Eu2+ in the ionic liquid phase was less efficient.