separation and analysis of sr-90 and zr-90 for nuclear forensic

Separation and Analysis of Sr-90 and Zr-90 for Nuclear Forensic Applications

Mémoire

Ana Paula Zattoni

Maitrise en chimie Maître ès sciences (M.Sc.)

Québec, Canada

© Ana Paula Zattoni, 2015

iii

Résumé

Le présent travail porte sur le développement technologique pour déterminer l'âge

des sources de radiostrontium à travers du rapport [Zr-90]/[Sr-90], en utilisant les

techniques de spectrométrie de masse et scintillation liquide pour quantifier les

deux isotopes. Parce que Sr-90 et Zr-90 sont des interférences isobariques en

spectrométrie de masse, une séparation radiochimique est nécessaire pour isoler

du Zr-90 avant son analyse. Parmi quatre résines commerciales, la résine DGA a

fourni la meilleure performance pour isoler le Zr-90 du Sr-90. Des récupérations

supérieures à 99% pour le Zr-90 ont été obtenues. La résine DGA était aussi

l'approche la plus rapide et la plus efficace pour éliminer les interférences

isobariques du Sr-90 et aussi de l’Y-90 potentiellement présents dans des

échantillons contenant des niveaux élevés de radioactivité. Des expériences

impliquant l’utilisation d’une cellule de collision pour éliminer des interférences

isobariques ont fourni des facteurs de décontamination insuffisants pour des

applications en criminalistique nucléaire.

v

Abstract

In this work, a technological development to determine the age of radioactive

strontium sources through the [Zr-90]/[Sr-90] ratio using mass spectrometry and

liquid scintillation to quantify both isotopes is presented. Because Sr-90 and Zr-90

are isobaric interferences in mass spectrometry, a radiochemical separation to

isolate Zr-90 has been shown to be mandatory prior to analysis. Four commercial

resins (AG50W-X9, Dowex1-X8, Sr and DGA resins) were tested to isolate Zr-90

from Sr-90. Best performance was observed for the DGA resin, including

recoveries higher than 99% for Zr-90. DGA has also demonstrated to be the faster

approach and the most efficient not only to eliminate isobaric interferences from Sr-

90, but also from Y-90, potentially present in samples containing high levels of

radioactivity. Experiments using a collision cell to eliminate isobaric interferences in

a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-QQQMS) have also been carried out,

but results have demonstrated insufficient decontamination factors for nuclear

forensic applications.

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Table of Contents RÉSUMÉ ................................................................................................................ III ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ V TABLES LIST ........................................................................................................ IX PICTURES LIST .................................................................................................... XI ABBREVIATIONS LIST ....................................................................................... XIII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................... XIX INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 1. RADIOSTRONTIUM .............................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1. Occurrence and radiological properties of strontium-‐90 ........................................................... 5 1.2. Applications of strontium-‐90 .................................................................................................................... 8 1.3. Instability of strontium-‐90 and the origin of its radioactivity .................................................. 9 1.4. Hazardous effects of strontium-‐90 ..................................................................................................... 10

2. NUCLEAR THREATS OF SR-‐90 AND RADIOCHRONOMETRY FOR AGE-‐DATING APPLICATIONS .......... 13 2.1. Nuclear threats and risks involving orphaned sources ............................................................. 13 2.2. Radiochronometry for nuclear forensic applications ................................................................ 15

3. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES TO QUANTIFY SR-‐90 AND ZR-‐90 .................................................................. 21 3.1. Principles of mass spectrometry .......................................................................................................... 21 3.1.1. Advantages and disadvantages of MS for the analysis of Zr-‐90 ........................................ 23 3.1.2. Triple quadrupole mass spectrometers to minimize isobaric interferences ............... 24 3.1.3. Separation of Sr-‐90 from Zr-‐90 using reaction cells ............................................................... 26 3.2. Analysis of Sr-‐90 by liquid scintillation ............................................................................................. 27

4. CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES TO SEPARATE SR-‐90 AND ZR-‐90 .................................................... 31 4.1. Principles of chromatography............................................................................................................... 31 4.2. Distribution ratio (D) ................................................................................................................................ 33 4.3. Column performance and efficiency of separation ...................................................................... 34 4.4. Measurement of peak asymmetry ....................................................................................................... 36 4.5. Ion exchange chromatography (IEC) ................................................................................................ 37 4.5.1. Ion exchange resins ................................................................................................................................ 39 4.6. Extraction chromatography (EXC) ..................................................................................................... 40 4.6.1. Extraction process in EXC .................................................................................................................... 41 4.7. IEC and EXC for radiochemical separations and potential applications for Sr-‐90 and Zr-‐90 43

5. EXPERIMENTAL ................................................................................................................................................ 47 5.1. Chemicals ........................................................................................................................................................ 47 5.2. Digestion of SrTiO3 ..................................................................................................................................... 47 5.3. Separation tests ........................................................................................................................................... 48 5.4. Omnifit® glass column preparation .................................................................................................. 49 5.5. Methodology .................................................................................................................................................. 49

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5.6. Mass spectrometry analysis .................................................................................................................... 50 5.6.1. Performance of reaction cells to separate strontium from zirconium ........................... 52 5.7. Analysis of Sr-‐90 by liquid scintillation ............................................................................................. 54

6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................. 55 6.1. Digestion of SrTiO3 ..................................................................................................................................... 55 6.2. Separation of Sr and Zr using a cation-‐exchange resin ............................................................. 57 6.3. Resin shrinkage and issues for Zr recovery ..................................................................................... 61 6.3.1. Effect of method downscaling on separation efficiency ........................................................ 62 6.4. Separation of Sr and Zr using an anion-‐exchange resin ........................................................... 64 6.5. IEC versus EXC for the separation of Sr and Zr ............................................................................. 66 6.6. Addition of HF in samples ........................................................................................................................ 69 6.7. Summary of the efficiency of all resins tested ................................................................................ 72 6.8. Performance of DGA method for the recovery of trace levels of Zr ...................................... 73 6.9. Determining the age of a radiostrontium source ......................................................................... 74 6.10. Potential of reaction cell to separate strontium from zirconium ...................................... 76

CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................... 81 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................... 83 ANNEXE 1 ............................................................................................................. 87

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Tables List

Table 1.1 – Radiological properties of threatening radionuclides .................. P.7 Table 2.1 – Accidents involving RTGs reported by the IAEA ........................ P.15 Table 2.2 – Radiological information from nuclear or radioactive materials .. P.16 Table 3.1 – Minimum resolution required to discriminate isobaric interferences at m/z 90 for the analysis of Zr-90 in MS .................................

P.24

Table 3.2 – Typical chemical reactions in reaction cells ................................ P.25 Table 3.3 – Theoretical binding properties of Zr and Sr with oxygen atoms .. P.27 Table 4.1 – Common commercial IEC resins ................................................ P.39 Table 4.2 – Common commercial EXC resins............................................... P.41 Table 4.3 – Distribution ratios (D) for strontium and zirconium in the AG50W-X8 resin ...........................................................................................

P.44

Table 5.1 – Instrumental setting for SrTiO3 digestion (Mars 5, Easy PrepTM vials) ..................................................................................................

P.48

Table 5.2 – Acquisition parameters for analysis of Sr and Zr by ICPQQQ-MS .................................................................................................................

P.51

Table 5.3 – Comparison of ionization energies between measured elements and internal standard .....................................................................

P.52

Table 5.4 – Acquisition parameters for the analysis of Sr and Zr using reaction cell and O2 as reaction gas ..............................................................

P.53

Table 5.5 – Acquisition parameters for the analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation.....................................................................................................

P.54

Table 6.1 – Acid mixtures used for SrTiO3 digestion tests ............................ P.55 Table 6.2 – Digestion efficiency of SrTiO3 under different acidic conditions.. P.56 Table 6.3 – Performance of alternative eluents for Zr ................................... P.62 Table 6.4 – Sample loading volumes according to the mass of dry resin used for separations ......................................................................................

P.64

Table 6.5 – Recovery of Zr in DGA Resin according to HNO3/HF ratio in samples .........................................................................................................

P.72

Table 6.6 – Summary of resins performance to isolate Zr prior MS analyses ........................................................................................................

P.72

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Pictures List

Figure 1.1 – Brief description of the origin of radioactivity in the environment ..................................................................................................

P.6

Figure 1.2 – Decay chain of strontium-90 ..................................................... P.8 Figure 1.3 – Means of uptake and bioaccumulation for strontium-90 ............ P.11 Figure 2.1 – Number of nuclear and radioactive incidents reported by the IAEA for the last years ..................................................................................

P.13

Figure 2.2 – Forensic Science....................................................................... P.16 Figure 2.3 – Decay process of Sr-90 as function of elapsed time ................. P.19 Figure 3.1 – Basic components of ordinary mass spectrometers .................. P.21 Figure 3.2 – Quadrupole mass spectrometer ................................................ P.23 Figure 3.3 – Triple quadrupole mass spectrometer mechanism.................... P.25 Figure 3.4 – Mechanism of energy transfer and detection of beta particles by liquid scintillation ......................................................................................

P.28

Figure 3.5 – Growth rate of Y-90 and secular equilibrium with Sr-90 ............ P.29 Figure 4.1 – Equilibrium in chromatographic separations ............................. P.32 Figure 4.2 – In column chromatography technique ....................................... P.33 Figure 4.3 – Experimental variables to determine resolution in chromatography ............................................................................................

P.35

Figure 4.4 – Parameters for the determination of peak asymmetry ............... P.37 Figure 4.5 – Separation of cations and anions by IEC .................................. P.38 Figure 4.6 – Schema of extraction chromatography ...................................... P.40 Figure 4.7 – D values for strontium and zirconium in the Dowex 1-X10 resin ..............................................................................................................

P.44

Figure 4.8 – Capacity factor for strontium and zirconium in the DGA resin ... P.46 Figure 5.1 – AF Omnifit® Column Design ..................................................... P.49 Figure 5.2 – Method applied for separation tests .......................................... P.50 Figure 6.1 – Reproducibility of SrTiO3 digestion using HNO3/HF mixture ..... P.57 Figure 6.2 – Elution profile of Sr and Zr in 4M HCl (10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh) .....................................................................................................

P.58

Figure 6.3 – Elution profile of Sr and Zr in 3M HCl (10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh) .....................................................................................................

P.59

Figure 6.4 – Separation of Sr and Zr using a 2M to 6M HCl gradient (10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh) ..........................................................................

P.59

Figure 6.5 – Elution curves of Sr as function of HCl molarity (10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh) ..........................................................................

P.60

Figure 6.6 – Elution curves of Sr at 2M HNO3 and 2M HCl (10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh) ........................................................................................

P.61

Figure 6.7 – Separation of Sr and Zr using a 2M HNO3 to 6M HCl gradient in 2 g AG50W-X8 (100-200 mesh) ..................................................

P.63

Figure 6.8 – Volume of eluent for Sr elution as function of mass of AG50W-X8 ....................................................................................................

P.63

Figure 6.9 – Separation efficiency for Sr and Zr using Dowex1-X8 resin ...... P.65

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Figure 6.10 – Zirconium retention in Dowex1-X8 as function of HCl concentration ................................................................................................

P.65

Figure 6.11 – Maximum recovery of Zr according to HCl concentration in Dowex1-X8 ...................................................................................................

P.66

Figure 6.12 – Comparative of separation of Sr and Zr using ion exchange and extraction resins (a. AG50W-X8, b. DOWEX1-X8, c. Sr-Resin, d. DGA-Resin) ..................................................................................................

P.67

Figure 6.13 – Proposed extraction mechanism for Sr for its separation from Zr by EXC .............................................................................................

P.68

Figure 6.14 – Tailing effect as a function of Sr concentration (AG50W-X8) . P.69 Figure 6.15 – Separation of Sr and Zr using Dowex1-X8 for samples containing HF ...............................................................................................

P.70

Figure 6.16 – Separation of Sr and Zr using DGA for samples containing HF (a. 0.01%, b. 0.2%) .................................................................................

P.71

Figure 6.17 – Complete methodology to separate Sr and Zr using DGA resin ..............................................................................................................

P.73

Figure 6.18 – Comparative between experimental and expected results for the recovery of trace levels of Zr using DGA resin ..................................

P.74

Figure 6.19 – Procedure for determining the age of a radiostrontium source ...........................................................................................................

P.75

Figure 6.20 – Comparative between theoretical and experimental concentrations for the analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation .......................

P.76

Figure 6.21 – Zr and Sr oxides formation in mass spectrometry as function of O2 concentration in the reaction cell ............................................

P.77

Figure 6.22 – Predominant species of Zr (a) and Sr (b) at 6% O2 in the reaction cell ..................................................................................................

P.78

Figure 6.23 – Correlation between results for the analysis of Zr at m/z 90 and m/z 106 ..................................................................................................

P.79

Figure 6.24 – Predominant species of Y at 6% O2 in the reaction cell .......... P.79

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Abbreviations List

– Alpha particles – Separation factor – Beta particles – Decay constant

a – asymmetry portion of a peak – Final activity – Initial activity – Peak asymmetry

A+ – Charged analyte AG50W-X8 – Cationic resin AMS – Accelerator Mass Spectrometry b – Back portion of a peak

– Final concentration – Initial concentration – Concentration of a solute in the extractant phase , – Concentration in the mobile phase , – Concentration in the stationary phase

cpm – Count per minute cps – Count per second D – Distribution ratio DGA – Diglycolamide resin Dowex1-X8 – Anionic resin

– Extractant EPA – Environmental Energy Agency EXC – Extraction chromatography F – Force F- – Fluoride G – Gas G+ – Charged gas

– Height of the theoretical plate H+ – Proton H2C2O4 – Oxalic acid H2O – Water H2O2 – Hydrogen peroxide H2SO4 – Sulphuric acid HCl – Hydrochloric acid HEU – High-enriched uranium HF – Hydrofluoric acid HNO3 – Nitric acid

HR – Enthalpy – Given compound

I – Interference i.d – Internal diameter

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I+ – Charged interference IAEA – Internation Atomic Energy Agency ICP-MS – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ID – Identification IEC – Ion exchange chromatography IUPAC – International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry K – Distribution coefficient

– Capacity factor – Coulomb’s constant

– Length – Ligand

LL – Lower limit LOD – Detection limit LOQ – Quantification limit m – Mass

– Mass difference M – Molar m/z – Mass-to-charged ratio M+ – Charged metal

– Molar mass MS – Mass spectrometry M – Megaohm

– Number of theoretical plates N/Z – Neutron-to-proton ratio N2O4 - Nitrogen tetroxide NO3

- – Nitrate – Avogadro’s number

O – Atomic oxygen O2 – Molecular oxygen Pb – Lead ppt – part per trillion Psi – lbf/square inch Pu – Plutonium

– Charge Q – Quadrupole

– Resolution – Distance between two charges

R2 – Correlation factor RDDs – Radiological dispersion devices RF – Radio-frequency RTGs – Radiothermal generators s – Standard deviation S – Stationary phase SI – International system Sr – Strontium SrO+ – Charged strontium oxide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_(force)

xv

SrTiO3 – Strontium Titanate – Age of a radioactive source

t½ – Half-life Ti – Titanium

– Dead time – Adjusted retention time

TIMS – Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry – Retention time

u – Mass unit U – Uranium U.S – United States UP – Upper limit

– Volume of the mobile phases – Volume of the stationary phases

v/v – Volume-to-volume ratio y – Years Y – Yttrium

, – Width at the base of a peak Zr – Zirconium Zr+ – Charged zirconium ZrO+ – Charged zirconium oxide

xvii

“Science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the

aspiration toward truth and understanding ”

Albert Einstein

xix

Acknowledgments

My completion of this project would not have been possible without the kind

support of my director Dominic Larvière. So, I would like to thank him to be always

open to discuss and share ideas while guiding me to successfully achieve the

goals of this project.

I also would like to thank Serge Groleau for all the support in the laboratory, my

office partners Annie Michaud, Pablo Lebed, and Marie-Ève Lecavalier for their

pleasant company during all the time we spent together. Charles Labrecque,

Kenny Nadeau, Jean-Michel Benoit, Solange Schneider, Laurence Whitty-Léveillé,

Sabrina Potvin, Julien Légaré Lavergne, Justyna Florek, and Maela Choimet who I

had the opportunity to work with and, in some cases, the opportunity to struck up a

close friendship.

Likewise, I would like to thank Health Canada, the Research and Technology

Initiative, and Agilent to make this project possible. And finally, I would like to thank

Sherrod Maxwell for the interest in this project as well as for the suggestions and

the encouragement, which have been all important to the accomplishment of this

work.

1

Introduction

Incidents involving illicit trafficking and smuggling of nuclear and radioactive

material have been object of concern since the early 90s, when the first cases

involving unauthorized activities started being reported in Switzerland and Italy,

then years later in Germany, Czech Republic, and Hungary [1]. Today, more than

2,400 cases have been already confirmed since 1995, and 155 cases have been

reported for the period between July 2012 and June 2013 [2].

Before the 90s, the main concern for nuclear security was to protect only high-

enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium in nuclear facilities. However, the

increasing number of cases implicating illegal possession, theft, or loss involving

other radioactive sources since 1995, forced authorities to establish a new concept

of nuclear security, while triggering efforts towards eliminating nuclear and

radioactive threats.

Such new concept became synonym of both protection and control over not only

nuclear but also any kind of radioactive material that could give rise to malicious

actions, including unpredictable terrorist activities and utilization of radiological

weapons known as dirty bombs.

Contrary to nuclear bombs, dirty bombs are relatively easier to fabricate and are

mainly characterized by their dispersive effect. The purpose of dirty bombs is not to

destroy but contaminate, while spreading a radioactive material through the

utilization of conventional explosives.

2

Usually, radionuclides that have long half-lives or a high specific activity are

potentially more interesting for the production of radiological dispersion devices

(RDDs). Ranked in a short list of these radionuclides, strontium-90 has a half-life of

about 29 years and a specific activity of about 518 X 1010 Bq/g. This corresponds,

for example, to a specific activity of about 1.5 times higher than for cesium-137,

which has an equivalent half-life (i.e. 30 years) [3].

Sources of strontium-90 can be found in laboratories of research or hospitals for

the production of yttrium-90 and cancer treatment as well as in wastes of nuclear

facilities. The main concern, however, is associated to sources of strontium-90

found in orphaned radiothermal generators (RTGs) widely used in the 50s to

provide energy in areas of difficult accessibility. It is estimated that hundreds of

orphaned RTGs containing high levels of activity are still lost around the world.

Actually, the lower degree of security surrounding these sources is assumed to be

appealing for nuclear terrorists.

Following an alleged terrorist attack, where the presence of a nuclear or a

radioactive source is detected, a nuclear forensic investigation takes place.

Working with other forensic sciences, nuclear forensics aims not only to answers

questions about the radiological hazard but also provide complementary

radioisotopic information to determine the origin of a seized source. Isotopic

composition, for example, could provide information about the fabrication date or

last purification (i.e. age of the radioactive source) and, in conjunction with other

chemical and physical data, provide clues about the facility responsible for its

production.

In practice, the age of a radioactive source could be determined using principles of

3

the decay law. Actually, Sr-90 is an unstable radioisotope that undergoes beta

decay to form Y-90 which in turn decays into Zr-90, a stable nucleus. Thus, the age

of a source containing strontium-90, for example, would be a function of the [Zr-

90]/[Sr-90] ratio, where concentrations of both isotopes could be determined,

respectively, by liquid scintillation and mass spectrometry, as demonstrated over

the present work. To be successfully used to date nuclear materials, however, this

approach requires an efficient method for radionuclide separation to isolate Sr-90

from Zr-90 from the radioactive source as well as a sensitive method of analysis to

provide accurate results while reducing age uncertainty.

Mass spectrometry has been widely used for analytical purposes because of its

sensitivity, accuracy, and possibility to discriminate isotopic species. The major

inconvenient of this technique is the isobaric interferences caused by ionic atoms

or molecules having the same m/z, as for strontium-90 and zirconium-90. Such

interferences cause peak overlap and an overestimation of compounds of interest.

Sometimes, even high-resolution devices are not sufficient to overcome this

problem and pre-treatments (e.g. separation) are often mandatory prior to analysis.

Besides liquid-liquid extraction and precipitation techniques, ion exchange (IEC)

and extraction chromatography (EXC) have gained extensive attention in the past

years, especially because of their potential to be used in radiochemical

separations. Previous works have demonstrated, for example, their efficiency for

removing and determining trace amounts of Sr-90 in environmental, food, and

seawater samples [4-7].

In terms of age-dating applications, Charbonneau et al. have recently reported

results for the separation of Co-60 from Ni-60 using both anionic and extraction

4

resins [3]. Likewise, Steeb et al. have presented a method to separate Sr-90 from

Zr-90 using the Sr Resin [8]. For this last procedure, however, no information has

been found regarding the possibility of using cationic, anionic, or DGA resins.

Actually, different distribution coefficients available in the literature for both

elements suggest that high levels of selectivity could also be achieved using those

resins [9-14].

In this context, this work aims to compare the performance of the AG50W-X8,

Dowex1-X8, DGA, and Sr Resin and, eventually, propose one or more alternatives

to separate Sr-90 and Zr-90 for nuclear forensic applications. To make a good

comparison, experimental conditions like mass of resin and volume of eluents have

been kept constant to assess recovery and resolution of peaks after

chromatographic separations. Assuming that real samples could contain high

levels of radioactivity, significant amounts of yttrium-90 could cause isobaric

interferences that should not be neglected. For that reason, the possibility to

completely isolate Y-90 has also been considered to evaluate the efficiency of

resins.

5

Chapter 1

1. Radiostrontium As previously mentioned, potential interest in radiostrontium for nuclear threats is a consequence of peculiar radiological characteristics of Sr-90. Thus, this chapter aims to detail these characteristics, while explaining the radiological risks associated to Sr-90 and its hazardous effects for humans and for the environment.

1.1. Occurrence and radiological properties of strontium-90

Radioactive sources can exist in the environment naturally (i.e. primordial and

cosmogenic radionuclides) or via accidental or deliberate anthropogenic activities

(Figure 1.1). According to astrophysics theories, primordial radionuclides have

been produced in the course of nucleosynthesis and have been presented on

Earth from the beginning.

Cosmogenic radionuclides, on the other hand, are continuously produced by the

interaction of cosmic irradiation with gases in the atmosphere (e.g. N2, O2, Ar, etc.),

and brought to the earth by rainwater. In general, both primordial and cosmogenic

radionuclides contribute to the harmless levels of radioactivity in the environment.

The occurrence of worrisome levels of radioactivity, however, is a consequence of

the release of significant amounts of radioisotopes through nuclear tests or nuclear

accidents. It has been reported, for example, that about 8,000 TBq of Sr-90 have

been released around the Chernobyl area in 1986 causing damage that, even

almost 30 years later, still holds the attention of numerous scientists [15,16].

6

Figure 1.1 – Brief description of the origin of radioactivity in the environment

As presented in Figure 1.1, the origin of radionuclides in the environment is

multifaceted. In the case of Sr-90, it has an anthropogenic origin. Actually, Sr-90 is

a by-product of the fission of uranium and plutonium, continuously produced in

nuclear power plants. According to the U.S Environmental Energy Agency (EPA),

strontium-90 is considered one of the more hazardous constituents of nuclear

wastes [17].

As for any other isotopes of strontium, Sr-90 can form other chemical compounds

7

(e.g. halides, oxides, sulphides) and its dispersion through the environment would

be strongly influenced by the chemical form and solubility.

In terms of radiological properties (Table 1.1), Sr-90 shows a specific activity of

about 140 Ci/g. Comparatively to other threatening radioisotopes, it accumulates

more reactivity per unit of mass than Ra-226, Am-241, Pu-238, and Cs-137. Also,

Sr-90 has a half-life (i.e. time that takes for the radioactivity to decay to one-half of

its original value) of about 29 years, which is longer than the half-life of Cf-252, Co-

60, Po-210, and Ir-192.

Table 1.1 – Radiological properties of threatening radionuclides [3]

Radionuclide Specific Activity Half-life Decay mode (Ci/g) (y)

Ra-226 1 1600 Am-241 3.5 430 Pu-238 17 88 Cs-137 88 30 Sr-90 140 29 Cf-252 540 2,6 Co-60 1100 5.271 Po-210 4500 0.4 (140d) Ir-192 9200 0.2 (74d)

As presented in Table 1.1, the specific activity is inversely proportional to its half-

life, which means that the higher is the specific activity, the shorter is the half-life.

In practice, short-lived isotopes are less harmful to the environment than long-lived

isotopes as they decay away faster and completely. However, short-lived isotopes

can be fatal, once humans have been directly exposed to the high-energy emitted.

For Sr-90, which is considered a long-lived isotope, long-term damage is expected

due to its slower decay rate that will take years. For those radionuclides, human

8

exposure to ionizing radiation occurs over an extended period of time due to the

fact that lower but more persistent quantities of radioactivity will remain in the

environment [18,19].

1.2. Applications of strontium-90

Currently, controlled amounts of strontium-90 have been extensively used in

medicine as radioactive tracers. As illustrated in the Figure 1.2, Sr-90 is a neutron-

rich nucleus that, through a decay process, forms yttrium-90, an intermediate

decay product that is often used for cancer treatment.

Figure 1.2 – Decay chain of strontium-90

Due to its capacity to produce heat, Sr-90 in the form of strontium titanate (SrTiO3),

has also been widely used in the past for the production of portable power

supplies. Known as radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), these devices

have been manufactured to provide energy in remote sites where electricity was

quite limited (i.e. navigational beacons, weather stations, and space vehicles).

9

1.3. Instability of strontium-90 and the origin of its radioactivity

In general, two factors including nucleus mass and neutron-to-proton ratio (N/Z)

contribute to nucleus instability and, in practice, to influence the mode of radiation

emitted.

It is normally observed, for example, that heavier nuclei (i.e. usually heavier than

Pb) are more likely to emit alpha particles ( ), while lighter nuclei tend to achieve

stability through the emission of positive beta particles or positrons ( +) to

compensate repulsive forces caused by an excess of protons. Also, it is noticed

that when the number of neutrons becomes more important than the number of

protons (i.e. increase in the N/Z ratio), it is the emission of negative beta particles

( -) or electrons that are rather detected.

As already mentioned, strontium-90 is an unstable neutron-rich nucleus and for

that reason it undergoes - decay, which is generally represented as follows:

+

+ +

Thus, to achieve stability, Sr-90 liberates the excess of neutrons in the form of

protons and very energetic - particles. Each rearrangement per second

corresponds to the activity of the radioactive source in Becquerel (Bq) according to

SI.

10

As indicated above, the proton gives rise to a decay product, in this case, Y-90, an

intermediate decay product. Yttrium-90 is also an unstable nucleus and, as for Sr-

90, it also undergoes - decay to form Zr-90, which this time is a stable non-

radioactive isotope.

1.4. Hazardous effects of strontium-90

Major radiological risks and hazardous effects of strontium-90 sources are

associated to the energetic contributions of Sr-90 and Y-90 beta particles. As beta-

emitters, Sr-90 and Y-90 penetrates the skin, while interacting with cells and

discharging their energy that are, respectively, 546 keV and 2280 keV [20].

In practice, strontium-90 absorption in humans can result from direct exposure to

radiation, inhalation of fine particles in air or, as in most situations, from the

consumption of both contaminated food and water (Figure 1.3).

11

Figure 1.3 – Means of uptake and bioaccumulation for strontium-90

Chemically, strontium-90 demonstrates analogue properties with calcium and,

once in the organism, it tends to be incorporated in bones and teeth increasing

risks of cancer. Actually, a major portion of absorbed strontium-90 is excreted

during the first year after exposure with a biological half-life (i.e. the time an

organism takes to eliminate one half the amount of a compound or chemical on a

strictly biological basis) of 40 days. However, there is about 10% of Sr-90 that is

tightly bound to the bones and with a biological half-life of 50 years it is slowly

excreted from human’s body [21].

Chapter 2

2. Nuclear Threats of Sr-90 and Radiochronometry for Age-Dating Applications

The significant number of incidents involving nuclear and radioactive material has forced authorities not only to increase the control over those materials but also motivated nuclear forensic experts to develop techniques able to provide important radiochemical information for criminal investigations. In this context, this chapter aims to present the terrorist potential involving orphaned sources, including those of Sr-90, as well as to explain the role of nuclear forensics and how radiochronometry could help to determine the origin of a seized source eventually used in nuclear attacks.

2.1. Nuclear threats and risks involving orphaned sources

Despite international’s effort to monitor and regulate the utilization of nuclear and

radioactive materials, the number of incidents and illicit trafficking involving them is

still significant (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1 – Number of nuclear and radioactive incidents reported by the IAEA for the last 7 years

171

243 215 222

172 163 155

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

14

In total, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has already reported 2407

incidents from 1995 to 2013, including cases of illegal possession or attempts to

sell nuclear or radioactive material, theft or loss, and unauthorized activities

apparently without criminal nature [2]. Actually, millions of radioactive sources are

available worldwide and inadequate control over usage, storage, and production in

different countries seems to contribute to the number of incidents.

One of the biggest issues is probably associated to orphaned sources, that means

sources that were abandoned, lost, or misplaced in the past without authorization

and, today, are outside of regulatory control. Thousands of radiothermal generators

(RTGs) like those using Sr-90 (Chapter 1), for example, have been discovered in

the Russia coast containing extremely high levels of radioactivity. Unfortunately,

there are about nearly a hundred pieces that have not been yet recovered and

remain unprotected against unauthorized interference [22].

In practice, only a few numbers of accidents involving RTGs have been reported

(Table 2.1) [23], but authorities do not rule out the risks of nuclear threats resulting

from the lower degree of security surrounding these sources. Main concerns

started arising after the United States discovered documents in Afghanistan with

real intentions of Al Qaeda in developing radiological dispersion devices (RDDs),

vulgarly known as dirty bombs [24].

As previously described, dirty bombs consist of conventional explosives combined

with a radioactive material. Once detonated, the radioactive material is dispersed,

while contaminating the environment, killing, injuring, and exposing people directly

to radiation. The degree of damages would depend on many factors like physical

and chemical form of the radioactive material, size of explosives, and proximity of

15

people to the explosion.

Table 2.1 – Accidents involving RTGs reported by the IAEA

Year Case 1999 A stolen radioactive heat source was found emitting radioactivity at a

bus stop in Kingisepp, in Russia. The source was then recovered.

2001 Three radioisotope heat sources were stolen from lighthouses located in the Kandalaksha Bay area, in Russia. After being found, the sources were sent to Moscow.

2001 Three woodsmen have been diagnosed with radiation sickness after

finding two unshielded radioactive heat sources near the Inguri River valley, in Georgia. Two victims have experienced nausea, vomiting, and dizziness after hours of exposure to sources of Sr-90 containing about 30,000 Ci. They were treated for many months before recovering from severe radiation burns. The sources were recovered in 2002.

2002 Three shepherds were exposed to high radiation doses after they

stumbled upon a number of RTGs in the Tsalenjikha region. Eight generators were recovered.

2003 An RTG was found 200 meters in the shoals of the Baltic Sea, which

was recovered later by a team of experts.

2003 The theft of metals from an RTG has been discovered in the White Sea region, in Russia. The six radioactive sources have not been taken.

2.2. Radiochronometry for nuclear forensic applications

Nuclear forensics is the science responsible for providing radiological properties of

radioactive sources that could be complementary to other biological, digital, and

chemical properties used in criminal investigations.

Assuming, for example, that a terrorist attack takes place and the presence of a

nuclear or a radioactive material is confirmed, nuclear forensic experts are put in

16

charge to work in conjunction with other forensic sciences to identify the alleged

responsible (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2 – Forensic Science

In general, radiological information of nuclear or radioactive material includes the

appearance, structure, and isotopic composition. As indicated in Table 2.2, an

important parameter is the age, which can provide valuable information about the

date of fabrication or the last purification [25].

Table 2.2 – Radiological information from nuclear or radioactive materials

Parameter Information

Appearance Material type (powder, pellet) Dimensions Reactor type U, Pu content Chemical composition Isotopic composition Enrichment (reactor type) Impurities Production process, geolocation 18O/16O ratio Geolocation Surface roughness Production plant Microstructure Production process Age Date of production or last purification

17

To determine the age, radiochronometry is a technique often used in fields such

archaeology, anthropology, and geology to date samples like human bones, corals,

and other artefacts preserved even over a billions of years. This technique has also

been widely used in environmental research for tracing climate changes [26] and

recently started receiving increasingly attention in nuclear forensics.

The principle of the radiochronometry technique is based on the fact that activity of

a radionuclide decays exponentially with time. According to the decay law, the

activity of a radioactive source ( ) is a function of three variables: the initial activity

of the radioisotope ( ), its decay constant ( ) also represented by ln2/t1/2 ratio,

and the elapsed time or also called the age ( ) in nuclear forensic applications

(Equation 2.1).

= (2.1)

Here, the age ( ) can be isolated in the equation and be expressed in terms of both

final and initial activities (Equation 2.2):

= (2.2)

When the radioactive source is unknown, however, it is impossible to know its

original activity (Charbonneau, 2012) and a change of variables in the equation

becomes necessary. In this case, respectively activities can be converted in units

of concentration ( ) as follows (equation 2.3):

18

= × ×× /

(2.3)

Where, is the Avogadro’s number, is the molar mass, and / is half-life.

So, Equation 2.2 can be expressed in terms of final ( ) and initial ( )

concentrations of the radioactive species (Equation 2.4).

= (2.4)

As in Figure 2.3, as the time passes, the radioactive species (in this case Sr-90)

tends to decay at the same time a more stable decay product (Zr-90) is build up.

19

Figure 2.3 – Decay process of Sr-90 as function of elapsed time

For that reason, equation 2.4 could also be expressed as:

= [ ][ ] (2.5)

Or, in the case of Sr-90, as:

= [ ][ ] (2.6)

20

Briefly, the decay process as that illustrated for Sr-90 could serve as a

chronometer, where the age of an unknown source could be estimated by the

determination of respective concentrations of both the radioactive and the stable

isotopes at a given time .

21

Chapter 3

3. Analytical Techniques to Quantify Sr-90 and Zr-90 In order to achieve maximum accuracy and precision for age-dating purposes, the analysis of high levels of radioactivity from Sr-90 and trace levels of Zr-90 could be performed using, respectively, liquid scintillation and mass spectrometry techniques. In this chapter, principles, advantages, and/or limitations of these two techniques have been discussed.

3.1. Principles of mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry is a multi-element technique widely used for obtaining

quantitative or qualitative information about a sample containing inorganic or

organic material. This technique covers nearly all the elements that are

discriminated by their difference in the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z).

Basically, all mass spectrometers are composed of an inlet and an ionization

system, a mass analyzer, and a detector (Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1 – Basic components of ordinary mass spectrometers

Depending on its nature, inlet systems can accommodate samples under solid,

liquid, or gas state. In typical setups, liquid samples (usually more homogeneous)

22

pass through a nebulizer to transform the sample into an aerosol that is driven

towards the ion source.

Established mass spectrometry techniques such as Accelerator Mass

Spectrometry (AMS), Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), and

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) have been proved to

reduce the amount of sample necessary for the analysis of inorganic compounds. It

has been reported that ICP-MS has become a dominating technique especially for

the determination of long-lived radionuclides (t1/2 > 10 years) present at trace levels

in different samples (e.g. water, soils, biological, and medical samples) [27,28].

In ICP-MS, for example, inorganic materials are positively ionized the ion source.

Usually, the ionization takes place in an inert atmosphere using argon, under a set

radio frequency, and a plasma temperature of up to 8,000 K.

Argon is commonly used because its first ionization potential (15.8 eV) is higher

than the first ionization potential of almost all other elements (except fluorine, neon,

and helium), which ensure the maximum ionization of the elements of interest

during analyses. Since the energy required for the second ionization is usually too

high for most part of elements, second ionization is less likely to happen.

After elements have been converted into ions, they are sent to the mass analyser

that acts as a mass filter to separate different masses. Common mass analysers

are called quadrupoles, which are consisted of four rods operating in an oscillating

electrical field capable of guiding ions towards the detector (Figure 3.2).

23

Figure 3.2 – Quadrupole mass spectrometer [29]

Once the ions reach the detector, they are measured as a current and, then,

converted into a series of peaks that form the mass spectrum.

3.1.1. Advantages and disadvantages of MS for the analysis of Zr-90

Mass spectrometry offers some advantages such as short analysis time, low

sample consumption, high sensitivity, reduced background interference due to the

possibility of using efficient mass analyzers as filters [30], and the ability of

discriminating different isotopes.

The major disadvantage, however, consists of isobaric interferences caused by

ions or molecules having the same mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. Actually, maximum

resolution provided by typical quadrupoles (less than 5,000) can be not sufficient to

avoid peak overlapping and overestimation of the compound of interest.

24

For example, isobaric interferences for the analysis of Zr-90 could be caused by

the presence of its parent isotopes like Sr-90 and Y-90 [31,32]. In this case, even

high-resolution instruments that provide resolutions of about 15,000 would not be

sufficient to discriminate between the peaks of those three isotopes (Table 3.1),

suggesting the use of a pre-treatment strategy, usually a chromatographic

separation prior to analysis to chemically separate them.

Table 3.1 – Minimum resolution required to discriminate isobaric interferences at m/z 90 for the analysis of Zr-90 in MS

Ions Atomic mass (u)

Resolution required =

Sr-90 89.908 29,668 Y-90 89.907 36,772 Zr-90 89.905 -

= Mass to be analyzed (In this case, 90 for Zr-90) = Difference between two atomic masses

3.1.2. Triple quadrupole mass spectrometers to minimize isobaric interferences

Recently designed, a triple quadruple is a tandem mass spectrometer consisted of

two quadrupoles (Q1 and Q3) placed at the two extremities of a reaction cell (Q2).

The first quadrupole is normally used as a filter to reduce the number of species

entering in Q2 containing a reaction gas such as He, H2, O2 etc. At the end,

products from the reaction cell are driven to Q3 that serves to eliminate remaining

interferences and guide only the isotope or compound(s) of interest towards the

detector (Figure 3.3).

25

Figure 3.3 – Triple quadrupole mass spectrometer mechanism

As for any quadrupole, a reaction cell operates in a radio-frequency (RF) mode.

However, RF is usually adjusted to focus ions and favour either a collision or a

chemical reaction with the reaction gas.

Using nonreactive gases, collisions are favoured and the species are discriminated

by the difference in their kinetic energy [33]. Using highly reactive gases on the

other hand, different reactions can take place to produce different polyatomic

species that are discriminated according to their different masses (Table 3.2) [34].

Table 3.2 – Typical chemical reactions in reaction cells Mechanism General Form(s) Advantage Charge exchange

+ + Formation of uncharged interferences that are not detected.

Proton transfer

(a) + + (b) + +

Formation of uncharged interferences that are not detected (a).

Formation of charged interferences that are heavier than the analyte (b).

Adduct Formation

+ Formation of analytes heavier than the interferences.

= Interference, = Reaction gas, = Analyte

26

In general, interferences can be converted into non-detectable species or in

species of different masses that are shifted from the region of interest. When the

interaction with the reaction gas is stronger with the analyte, this last can be

converted in a heavier compound to be shifted to a less overladen region of the

spectrum.

Briefly, reaction cells technology had been developed not only to improve the

performance of mass spectrometers, but also to reduce background or eliminate

isobaric interferences impossible to be removed using ordinary instruments or

high-resolution devices.

3.1.3. Separation of Sr-90 from Zr-90 using reaction cells

Successful applications using O2 as a reaction gas for solving problems of isobaric

interferences between Zr-90 and Sr-90 have already been reported [31,35-40].

Actually, the formation of zirconium oxide is more likely to happen than the

formation of strontium oxide, which makes possible to perform the analysis of Zr at

m/z = 106 (ZrO+) rather than m/z = 90 (Zr+).

According to Eiden et al., Zr seems to react at least 200 times faster with oxygen

than Sr through addition of O2 into the reaction cell. Theoretical positive enthalpy

HR) for strontium oxides formation suggest that this reaction is less

favourable than that for zirconium oxides6. Also, the covalent bond for ZrO+ seems

to be stronger than that for SrO+ due to the differences in both electronic densities

and metal–oxygen bond lengths (Table 3.3.).

27

Table 3.3 – Theoretical binding properties of Zr and Sr with oxygen atoms [32]

Ion

HR (M+ + O2 MO+) Bond length

(Å) Electronic Density* Experimental Calculated

ZrO+ -249 -186 1.74

SrO+ +199 +215 2.35

*Zr and Sr atoms on top; O atom at the bottom

3.2. Analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation

Even if it is possible to analyse radioactive isotopes by mass spectrometry,

conventional counting techniques, such as liquid scintillation, are still

recommended for radioisotopes like Sr-90 that have high specific activities.

In typical liquid scintillation methods, the radioactive sample is mixed with a

cocktail containing a solvent and a soluble scintillator. In the cocktail, the solvent

occupies from 60-99% of the total solution while the scintillator, only 0.3-1% [41].

For this reason, beta particles usually transfer their energy first to solvent

molecules. The energy passes between solvent molecules until it reaches the

scintillator. Once excited, the scintillator releases the absorbed energy in the form

of photons that can be easily detected (Figure 3.4).

28

Figure 3.4 – Mechanism of energy transfer and detection of beta particles by

liquid scintillation [41]

In some cases, however, beta particles are enough energetic (i.e. energy higher

than 0.6 MeV) to cause disturbance of adjacent molecules in matter followed by a

photon emission that can be detected without the need to introduce a scintillator in

the sample. This phenomenon known as Cerenkov effect occurs when a charged

particle travels at constant velocity in a medium characterized by its index of

refraction markedly larger than 1 at a speed exceeding that of the light in that

medium. Actually, in gaseous, liquid, or solid media, the velocity of light will be less

than its velocity in a vacuum, and the beta particle will be able to travel in such

media at speeds exceeding that of light [42].

In practice, Sr-90 is not enough energetic to produce Cerenkov radiation. In this

case, Sr-90 is detected indirectly through the signal emitted by Y-90 eventually

present at secular equilibrium in the sample, which means, with the same activity

of Sr-90.

As indicated in Figure 3.5 [42], secular equilibrium between Sr-90 and Y-90 is

achieved after approximately 20 days. Once activities have been determined, they

can be converted in units of mass or concentration using equation 2.3 presented in

chapter 2.

29

Figure 3.5 – Growth rate of Y-90 and secular equilibrium with Sr-90

31

Chapter 4

4. Chromatographic Techniques to Separate Sr-90 and Zr-90

Due to the importance to separate Sr-90 from Zr-90 to avoid isobaric interferences in mass spectrometry, this chapter presents the potential of both ion exchange and extraction chromatography techniques to be used in the separation of those isotopes. Principles of chromatography, theoretical definitions of distribution coefficients, retention factors, distribution ratios, resolution, and the number of theoretical plates to assess the performance of separation have also been addressed.

4.1. Principles of chromatography

Chromatography is the term used to designate a set of techniques implicating a

mobile phase (i.e. gas or liquid) and a stationary phase (i.e. solid and/or liquid) for

the separation of mixtures. In practice, the mobile phase carries the sample

through the stationary phase that interacts with species in the sample.

Thermodynamically, chromatographic separations consist in an equilibrium

process (Figure 4.1) where the number of ions of a given species ( ) in either the

mobile phase ( ) and in the stationary phase ( ) is given by the distribution

coefficient ( ) (Equation 4.1).

= ,,

(4.1)

32

Figure 4.1 – Equilibrium in chromatographic separations

In general, species having less affinity with the stationary phase (i.e. lower K

values) experience shorter retention times and tend to move faster than those

having stronger affinities (i.e. higher K values).

Sometimes, the time by which a component is retarded by the stationary phase is

expressed in terms of capacity or retention factor ( ) as follows:

= ,,

(4.2)

Where, , and , are the component concentration, and are the respective

volumes of the stationary and mobile phases.

In typical column chromatographic techniques, the sample is usually introduced at

the top of a column packed with the stationary phase. Once the mobile phase is

poured into the column, compounds in the sample move at different speeds as a

consequence of the magnitude of interaction with the stationary phase. Finally,

each compound can be recovered in a different fraction. A chromatogram is usually

the visual output of a chromatographic separation, where each different peak

generated corresponds ideally to a specific compound in the mixture (Figure 4.2).

33

Figure 4.2 – In column chromatography technique

4.2. Distribution ratio (D)

The distribution ratio ( ) is commonly used to express the distribution of a solute

between two phases for a specific mobile phase. According to IUPAC,

corresponds to the ratio of the total concentration of a solute in the extractant

phase ( ) to the total initial concentration ( ) (Equation 4.3) [43].

= (4.3)

In practice, distribution ratios are very useful to compare the degree of selectivity,

for example, of a resin for two different species dissolved in the same solvent. The

selectivity is usually expressed in terms of separation factors ( ), which correspond

34

to the ratio of D values of two different compounds that should be separated

(Equation 4.4).

, = (4.4)

By convention, > .

4.3. Column performance and efficiency of separation

One way to assess the performance of a chromatographic column is determining,

for example, the resolving power or the ability of a column to separate two or more

peaks (Equation 4.5).

= ( ) (4.5)

In the above equation, corresponds to the adjusted retention time ( = - )

of each compound and , the respective widths at the base of each peak. is

usually subtracted and corresponds to the time required for the mobile phase to

travel the length of the column without any interaction with the stationary phase.

As demonstrated in Figure 4.3, both and could be determined experimentally

through the chromatogram obtained for a given chromatographic separation.

35

Figure 4.3 – Experimental variables to determine

resolution in chromatography

Theoretically, a separation is considered complete when > 1.5.

The efficiency of separation, on the other hand, could be assessed through the

determination of the number of theoretical plates ( ) using equation 4.6:

= 16 (4.6)

Again, and are respectively, the retention time and the width at the base of

the peak for a given compound .

The notion of theoretical plates was introduced in 1941 by Martin and Synge

through the Plate Theory that supposes that a chromatographic column contains a

large number of imaginary and thin sections called plates within each analyte is

found to be at equilibrium between the stationary and mobile phase. As the notion

36

of the theoretical plate is now well established and it is applicable to all types of

chromatographic columns, it is convenient to express the performance of

chromatographic columns in terms of number of theoretical plates [44-46].

More efficient methods are obtained for greater values. In general, is

associated to the length ( ) of the column (Equation 4.7), but can be affected by

experimental factors such as: technique of column and sample preparation, solute

property, temperature, and flow rate.

= (4.7)

Here, is the height equivalent to one theoretical plate.

4.4. Measurement of peak asymmetry

Normally, perfect Gaussian peaks are rarely obtained. In general, peak asymmetry

is frequently observed and the main causes include at least one of the following

conditions: nature of the packing material, nature of the analytes to be separated,

and chromatographic system [47].

As defined by Bayne, peak asymmetry can be expressed as:

37

= (Equation 4.8)

where and represent, respectively, the back and the front portion at 10% of the

peak height (Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4 – Parameters for the determination of peak

asymmetry

In practice, symmetrical peaks have asymmetry factors between 0.9 and 1.2.

4.5. Ion exchange chromatography (IEC)

Among numerous chromatographic techniques, ion exchange chromatography is

used to separate ions based on electrostatic interactions between a charged

surface and the ionic species in the sample. Repulsive electrostatic forces are

expected for charges of the same sign and attractive forces, for opposite signs.

In practice, this technique allows the separation, for example, of anions from

cations in a mixture. Counter-ions tend to be attracted to the surface while co-ions

tend to be repelled (Figure 4.5).

38

Figure 4.5 – Separation of cations and anions by IEC [48]

In a system formed only by counter-ions, the magnitude of interaction with the

stationary phase will be proportional to the magnitude of the free charges ( )

competing for the charge on the surface ( ) (Equation 4.8).

| | = | | (4.8)

In equation 4.6 is the Coulomb’s constant and the distance between and .

Briefly, for a negligible distance ( ) in a chromatographic column and a constant

value for the surface charge ( ), ions carrying larger charges tend to be stronger

retained by the stationary phase than smaller charges. In this scenario, separations

become possible as the stoichiometric process implicated allows counter-ions to be

replaced by equivalent amounts of other counter-ions to preserve electrical

39

neutrality of the system [49]. Efficient separations could be achieved through the

reversible exchanges of counter-ions at the surface of the stationary phase.

4.5.1. Ion exchange resins

Ion exchange resins are solid materials containing active and charged sites

covalently bounded to the stationary phase. Depending on the group attached,

those resins can be classified as cationic or anionic resins. Anionic resins carry

positive charges and are designed to uptake negative counter-ions, while cationic

resins, carrying negative charges, are designed to up take positive counter-ions

[30] (Table 4.1).

Table 4.1 – Common commercial IEC resins

Resin AG50W-X8 (Cationic)

DOWEX1-X8 (Anionic)

Active site - SO3- - N(CH3)3

+

Structure

Normally, active sites are arranged to form cross-linked chains. Resins with high

crosslink percentages show a more rigid structure and provide a greater number of

active groups. Common resins are usually available from 2% up to 12% or even

16% of crosslink percentage. In practice, performance of resins is mainly affected

by crosslink percentage since it has an impact on the degree of selectivity.

40

4.6. Extraction chromatography (EXC)

Another chromatographic technique that has been receiving increasingly attention

in recent years is the extraction chromatography. This technique combines the

selectivity of liquid-liquid extractions with the speed, resolving power, and simplicity

of chromatographic procedures.

Figure 4.6 – Schema of extraction chromatography [50]

As presented in figure 4.6, the liquid stationary phase or organic extractant is

usually adsorbed on the surface of an inert solid support, usually porous silica or

an organic polymer. The nature of the extractant usually determines the selectivity

of the resin, but diluents are often employed to change the selective properties of

the resin. Two examples of commercial extractants are presented in Table 4.2.

41

Table 4.2 – Common commercial EXC resins

Resin Sr DGA

Extractant

18-crown-6 ether N,N,N’,N’-tetra-n-octyldiglycolamide

Extraction chromatography differs from partitioning chromatography because

equilibrium takes place between an aqueous solution that corresponds to the

mobile phase and an organic solution, in this case, the stationary phase.

Extraction chromatography is also different from ordinary liquid-liquid extractions

due to the presence of the solid support that influences both the distribution

coefficient (K) and the efficiency of extraction.

4.6.1. Extraction process in EXC

The basis of successful separations in extraction chromatography depends to a

great extent on the ability of some species to undergo chemical transformations

while other species do not. For example, metals are usually found in aqueous

solutions under their ionic form. However, some metals in the presence of ligands

can form neutral complexes that can be further solvated in the organic phase.

Different models have already been proposed to describe the overall mechanism

and equilibrium processes implicated in the extraction chromatography technique

42

[51]. A first model, for example, assumes that the neutral complex is first formed in

the aqueous phase (Equation 4.9) and then transferred to the organic phase

(Equation 4.10), where the extraction process takes place.

Model 1: Complex formation in aqueous phase

+ , (4.9)

, , (4.10)

A second model suggests that the species are first transferred to the organic phase

(Equations 4.11) under their ionic form and then they form the neutral complex in

the organic phase (Equation 4.12) to be extracted.

Model 2: Complex formation in organic phase

+ + (4.11)

+ , (4.12)

In both cases, however, the general equation for the extraction process can be

expressed as follows:

, + , (4.13)

, , (4.14)

43

where, represents a metal, a ligand, the neutral complex formed, and

the extractant that usually has an electron donor property.

4.7. IEC and EXC for radiochemical separations and potential applications for Sr-90 and Zr-90

Besides precipitation and solvent extraction, ion exchange chromatography is one

of the most traditional methods used for radiochemical separations especially for

the separation of actinides. In general, ion exchange chromatography has a multi-

element character and usually shows better performance and higher recovery rates

than other separation techniques [52, 53].

Earlier studies have demonstrated the possibility, for example, of using IEC resins

to isolate fission products to evaluate their toxicity even when they are presented at

trace levels in samples [54]. Some studies have also showed the efficiency of

using ion exchange resins to separate radiostrontium from a variety of matrix [31,

36, 37].

Specifically for a given Sr-Zr system, Strelow had showed that regardless the

acidic conditions, zirconium usually experiences stronger affinity with a cationic

resin than numerous other elements, including Sr (Table 4.3) [9, 10].

44

Table 4.3 – Distribution ratios (D) for strontium and zirconium in the AG50W-X8 resin

Eluent 0.5 M 1.0 M 2.0 M 3.0 M 4.0 M Zr Sr Zr Sr Zr Sr Zr Sr Zr Sr

HCl 105 217 7250 60.2 489 17.8 61 10 14.5 7.5

HNO3 104 146 6500 39.2 652 8.8 112 6.1 30.7 4.7

Likewise, zirconium seems to have a stronger affinity with anionic resins while

strontium, does not have any affinity in hydrochloric or nitric acid conditions (Figure

4.7) [55].

Figure 4.7 – D values for strontium and zirconium in the Dowex 1-X10 resin

45

Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that extraction chromatography is

now starting to compete with ion exchange in many separation problems, including

radiochemical applications where trace levels of analytes are eventually implicated.

Most part of those applications has been focused on the separation and analysis of

radionuclides in environmental samples [56,62]. However, Maxwell and Culligan

have reported the separation performance of extraction resins for urine samples

containing actinides and Sr-90 [63]. Likewise, Kim et al. have presented a

separation method to isolate Sr-89 and Sr-90 from calcium, barium, and yttrium in

milk samples [64].

Currently, there are extraction resins designed to extract specific radionuclides.

This is the case of the Sr resin that has been developed to extract strontium while

other elements could be easily eluted from the chromatographic column. It has

been demonstrated that in a solution of 3M HNO3 - 0.01M oxalic acid, Sr is

completely retained, while Zr, for example, is rapidly eluted from the column [65].

As for ion exchange resins, distribution ratios or also capacity factors for most part

of elements in extraction resins have already been reported [14]. As an example,

figure 4.8 presents the difference between the capacity factors of strontium and

zirconium in the DGA resin. As demonstrated, the potential to separate those two

elements using nitric acid solutions becomes possible, as the capacity factor for Sr

at 1M HNO3 is at least three times higher than that for Zr. In other words, Sr is

more likely to experience a longer retention time than Zr, while this last can be

faster eluted from the column.

46

Figure 4.8 – Capacity factor for strontium and zirconium

in the DGA resin [66]

47

Chapter 5

5. Experimental This chapter describes the methodology and list the materials used throughout the present work in order to determine the best condition to separate and quantify strontium and zirconium for age-dating applications.

5.1. Chemicals

Certified standard solutions (PlasmaCal ICP/ICPMS, 4% HNO3) of strontium,

zirconium, and yttrium have been purchased from SPC Science. Stock solutions

for separation tests and calibration curves have been prepared using high-purity

deionized water (18.2 M *cm) from Millipore Bedford, MA, USA, and

environmental grade acids (Anachemia Science). All solutions have been

conserved at 4°C in centrifuge polypropylene tubes until their utilization.

5.2. Digestion of SrTiO3

SrTiO3 (Aldrich, 99%) has been used for digestion tests to simulate true solid

samples containing radiostrontium in the titanate form. The digestion protocol has

been adapted from Parker et al [67]. The tests have been performed under high-

pressure (Easy PrepTM vials) using a microwave oven (Mars 5) from CEM

Corporation with temperature and pressure controls. The digestion program is

presented in Table 5.1.

48

Table 5.1 – Instrumental setting for SrTiO3 digestion (Mars 5, Easy PrepTM vials)

Stage Power Ramp Pressure Temperature Hold Max % Min Psi °C Min

1 1600 100 30 250 160 5 2 1600 100 30 250 200 40

Precise masses of SrTiO3 were first weighed in 5 mL Teflon vials and then diluted

in concentrated nitric acid before being transferred to the microwave vessels. Poor

recoveries have been observed when SrTiO3 was weighed directly in the

microwave vessels. Actually, the strong electrostatic interactions between SrTiO3

and the surface of microwave vessels resulted in significant losses of the product

during sample preparation.

5.3. Separation tests

Four different commercial resins (AG50W-X8, DOWEX1-X8, Sr Resin, and DGA)

have been tested to separate strontium and zirconium. The performance of these

resins has been assessed using a glass column from Omnifit®. In some cases,

pre-packed columns (Eichrom) have also been applied to compare or validate

results. Different HCl, HNO3, H2SO4, and H2C2O4 solutions at different molarities

have been tested as eluents. Before elution, mixtures containing strontium,

zirconium, and eventually yttrium that would be expected to be present in real

samples were evaporated to dryness and then diluted in the appropriate solvent

that could contain traces of HF depending on the nature of the test.

49

5.4. Omnifit® glass column preparation

The Omnifit® glass column was dismantled following manufacturer’s instructions

and washed using a laboratory detergent. The column was then well rinsed and

packed with the resin suspended in water. A vacuum was applied to slowly drain

the excess of water. Dryness was avoided to prevent air bubbles in the column. A

plunger and an adjusting nut (Figure 5.1) at the upper side of the column helped to

compact the resin. Strong compaction has shown to affect flow rate. Finally, the

column was connected to a peristaltic pump and flow rate was set to 2 mL/min.

Figure 5.1 – AF Omnifit® Column Design

5.5. Methodology

After packing, resins have been washed with water and then conditioned with an

acid solution, usually the eluent used to elute the first component from the column.

Before injecting the mixture to be separated, a blank was recovered. It consisted of

50

the same eluent used for the conditioning step. After sample injection, strontium

and zirconium were recovered in polypropylene centrifuge tubes using the

appropriate eluent (Figure 5.2).

Figure 5.2 – Method applied for separation tests

5.6. Mass spectrometry analysis

Analyses of fractions recovered during separation tests were performed in a triple

quadrupole mass spectrometer (Agilent 8800). After the separation, fractions were

evaporated to dryness to eliminate any trace of HF possibly present that could

damage glass pieces in the instrument. Fractions were then diluted with 4% HNO3

as much as necessary to fit the concentration within the quantification range. Table

51

5.2 summarizes optimal acquisition settings for the quantification purpose.

Table 5.2 – Acquisition parameters for analysis of Sr and Zr by ICPQQQ-MS

Scan Type Single Quad Plasma Mode Hot Lenses Extract 1 5.3 V Extract 2 -225.0 V Omega Bias -200 V Omega Lens 28.0 V Q1 Entrance 3.0 V Q1 Exit -2.0 V Cell Focus 1.0 V Cell Entrance -50 V Cell Exit -50 V Deflect 15.2 V Plate Bias -50 V Q1 Q1 Bias -6.0 V Q1 Prefilter Bias -20.0 V Q1 Postfilter Bias -30.0 V Q1 Ion Guide SLS Factor 0.40 SLG 0.90 V Cell Gas mode No gas OctP Bias -8.0 V OctP RF 180 V Energy Discrimination 5.0 V Wait Time Offset Wait Time Offset 0 msec Spectrum mode options Replicates 3 Sweeps 100

Strontium and zirconium recoveries have been monitored respectively at m/z 88

and m/z 90. Blanks and standard solutions were used to ensure quality control of

results. Signal fluctuations from the instrument were corrected through addition of

52

Indium as internal standard. According to Kozuka et al., ideal internal standards

should have ionization energies close to that for measured elements [68]. Table

5.3 presents the ionization energy for strontium, zirconium, and indium.

Table 5.3 – Comparison of ionization energies between measured elements and internal standard

Element Energy (eV)

Strontium 5.69

Zirconium 6.63

Indium (internal standard) 5.79

Both the detection limit ( ) and the quantification limit ( ) were estimated

through the determination of the standard deviation ( ) obtained for the analysis of

10 blanks in 4% nitric acid (Equation 5.1 and 5.2) .

= 3 (5.1)

= 10 (5.2)

5.6.1. Performance of reaction cells to separate strontium from zirconium

The potential to use oxygen in reaction cells to separate strontium and zirconium

has been assessed through the analysis of standard solutions at different gas

compositions. In this case, strontium has been monitored at m/z 88 (Sr+) and m/z

104 (SrO+) as well as zirconium at m/z 90 (Zr+) and m/z 106 (ZrO+). The interaction

between yttrium and oxygen has also been evaluated and both m/z 89 and m/z

53

105 have also been monitored. The acquisition parameters used during reaction-

cell tests are presented in Table 5.4.

Table 5.4 – Acquisition parameters for the analysis of Sr and Zr using reaction cell and O2 as reaction gas

Scan Type MS/MS Plasma Mode Hot Lenses Extract 1 5.3 V Extract 2 -225.0 V Omega Bias -200 V Omega Lens 28.0 V Q1 Entrance 3.0 V Q1 Exit -2.0 V Cell Focus 1.0 V Cell Entrance -50 V Cell Exit -50 V Deflect 15.2 V Plate Bias -50 V Q1 Q1 Bias -4.0 V Q1 Prefilter Bias -22.0 V Q1 Postfilter Bias -20.0 V Cell Gas mode Use gas 4th Gas Flow (O2) 0 – 100 % OctP Bias -8.0 V OctP RF 180 V Energy Discrimination 5.0 V Wait Time Offset Wait Time Offset 60 msec Spectrum mode options Replicates 3 Sweeps 100

54

5.7. Analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation

For separation tests implicating a solution of radiostrontium (NIST Standard, 30

Bq/mL, 14/04/2000), recovered fractions have been diluted in water and then

analysis of Sr-90 has been conducted by liquid scintillation using a Perkin Elmer

Tri-Carb 2900TR instrument. Acquisition parameters are listed in Table. 5.5.

Table 5.5 – Acquisition parameters for the analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation

Quench Indicator tSIE/AEC External Std Terminator (sec) 0.5 2s% Pre-Count Delay (min) 0.00 Quench Set n/a Count Time (min) 240.00 Count Mode Normal Assay Count Cycles 1 Repeat Sample Count 1 #Vials/Sample 1 Calculate % Reference Off Background Subtract Off Low CPM Threshold Off 2 Sigma % Terminator Off Region A (keV) LLa 0.0

ULb 50.0 Region B(keV) LL 0.0

UL 100.0 Region C(keV) LL 0.0

UL 2000.0 Counting corrections Static Controller On Luminescence Correction Off Colored Samples n/a Heterogeneity Monitor n/a Coincidence Time (nsec) 18 Delay Before Burst (nsec) 75 Half Life Correction Off a. lower limit b. Upper limit

55

Chapter 6

6. Results and Discussion This chapter highlights the performance of the ion exchange and extraction resins for the separation of strontium and zirconium. It also presents the potential of using a reaction cell in mass spectrometry to eliminate the need for a prior separation by chromatography. A method for SrTiO3 digestion has also been suggested as a sample preparation step for solid sources of strontium-90.

6.1. Digestion of SrTiO3

Due to its refractory character, strontium titanate is a compound usually very

difficult to decompose. For this reason, four different mixtures with different H2O2,

HNO3, and HF acid ratios were tested to assess the best condition to achieve

successful SrTiO3 digestion (Table 6.1). As reported by Packer et al., addition of

HF would help the solubilisation of Ti while H2O2 would contribute to reduce the

formation of N2O4 as well as to provide a cloudless solution [67].

Table 6.1 – Acid mixtures used for SrTiO3 digestion tests

Mixture ID HNO3 (% v/v)

H2O2 (% v/v)

HF (% v/v)

1 100 Absent Absent 2 89 11 Absent 3 84 11 5 4 95 Absent 5

As presented in Table 6.2, efficient digestion has been obtained using mixtures

containing HF. Even if concentrated nitric acid is considered as a strong oxidizing

agent, addition of HF is usually necessary for complete dissolution of oxide

compounds [69].

56

Table 6.2 – Digestion efficiency of SrTiO3 under different acidic conditions

Element HNO3

Mixture 1 (%)

HNO3/H2O2 Mixture 2

(%)

HNO3/HF/H2O2 Mixture 3

(%)

HNO3/HF Mixture 4

(%)

Sr

92 101 100 101

98 96 98 94

97 92 97 109

Average 95 ± 3 97 ± 4 98 ± 1 101 ± 8

Ti 0 31 ± 8 96 ± 1 96 ± 6

The presence of H2O2 does not improve the performance of SrTiO3 digestion.

Likewise, the appearance of the SrTiO3 solution after digestion in HNO3/HF

demonstrates that samples containing approximately 10,000 mg/L of SrTiO3 were

very transparent, which has made the usage of H2O2 unnecessary to obtain

satisfactory results.

In general, digestion using only HNO3/HF has not only been proven to be the most

convenient and efficient method and also a very reproducible approach. For nine

replicates, obtained recovery for Sr was 102 2 %, while for Ti, 97 1 %, which

means that up to 3% of titanium could not be dissolved under those conditions

(Figure 6.1).

Figure 6.1 – Reproducibility of SrTiO3 digestion using HNO3/HF mixture

Due to the difficulty to generate SrTiO3 pellets in the laboratory, digestion tests

have been performed using only SrTiO3 under the powder form.

6.2. Separation of Sr and Zr using a cation-exchange resin

The method to separate zirconium from strontium using the cationic AG50W-X8

resin has been adapted from the method proposed by Strelow [70]. A similar

method has been already proven to provide good reproducibility making possible

its application in geochronology work for age determination [71].

Preliminary tests have been performed using about 10 g of AG50W-X8 resin, 100-

200 mesh, H+ form (Eichrom) poured into a 15 i.d. X 100 mm glass column.

Experimental elution curves have been obtained using weighed solutions

0102030405060708090

100110

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

% in

sol

utio

n

Replicate ID

SrTi

58

containing equivalent amounts of Sr and Zr (50 µg/mL) eluted in 2, 3 and 4M HCl.

Molarities lower than 2M have been disregarded due to the high distribution ratio

values reported in the literature [9]. In practice, extremely long retention times

would be expected for these conditions.

As presented in Figure 6.2, incomplete separation has been achieved using 4M

HCl and separation factor ( ) of about 2 seemed not to be sufficient to obtain

complete resolution of peaks.

Figure 6.2 – Elution profile of Sr and Zr in 4M HCl

(10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh)

Although significant improvement has been obtained for a separation factor of 6

using 3M HCl, incomplete separation has also been observed (Figure 6.3).

05

101520253035404550

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Rec

over

y (%

)

4M HCl (mL)

Sr

Zr

59

Figure 6.3 – Elution profile of Sr and Zr in 3M HCl

(10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh)

Briefly, 2M HCl has shown to be the most efficient condition to separate Sr and Zr

among the three scenarios tested (Figures 6.4). A separation factor of 27 has been

calculated in this case.

Figure 6.4 – Separation of Sr and Zr using a 2M to 6M HCl gradient

(10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh)

05

101520253035404550

0 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150

Rec

over

y (%

)

3M HCl (mL)

Sr

Zr

05

101520253035404550

0 50 100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

Rec

over

y (%

)

HCl (mL)

SrZr

2M HCl 6M HCl

60

Apparently, in 2M HCl Zr is completed retained in the column during Sr elution and

Zr removal was only possible after the addition of 6M HCl. Actually, the increase in

solvent concentration increased the number of H+ ions in the system and to

displace zirconium that was then easily stripped off the column.

As presented in Figure 6.5, the usage of 2M HCl, however, resulted in longer

retention times and broader peaks for Sr. Likewise, the volume of eluent required

to completely elution of Sr increased from about 80 mL to about 200 mL.

Figure 6.5 – Elution curves of Sr as function of HCl molarity

(10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh)

Since the distribution ratio of Sr in nitric acid eluent was theoretically two times

smaller than for HCl (Table 4.3), better performance has been obtained by

replacing HCl by HNO3. As demonstrated in Figure 6.6, 2M HNO3 eluent produced

narrower peaks and it shifted the maximum peak from about 150 mL to about 80

mL.

05

1015202530354045

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

Sr (%

)

HCl (mL)

4M HCl

3M HCl

2M HCl

61

Figure 6.6 – Elution curves of Sr at 2M HNO3 and 2M HCl

(10 g AG50W-X8, 100-200 mesh)

6.3. Resin shrinkage and issues for Zr recovery

In general, poor recoveries for Zr have been obtained using the AG50W-X8 resin

probably resulting from problems of resin shrinkage after increasing the eluent

concentration from 2M to 6M. To avoid sudden changes that could disturb

equilibrium in the column, the usage of stronger eluents at low molarities was also

assessed. Higher cross-linking resins, however, could also help reducing shrinkage

issues.

Tests have demonstrated that sulphuric and oxalic acids could be used as

alternative eluents of Zr. Based on results presented in Table 6.3, 2M H2SO4, 3M

H2SO4, and 0.2M H2C2O4 have provided both peak asymmetry and reasonable

recovery.

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 50 100 150 200 250

Sr (%

)

Eluent (mL)

2M HCl2M HNO3

62

Table 6.3 – Performance of alternative eluents for Zr

Eluent Peak Asymmetry Zr Recovery (%)

2M H2SO4 1.2 104 ± 3

3M H2SO4 1.0 101 ± 2

0.2M H2C2O4 1.2 123 ± 3

Utilization of oxalic and sulphuric acids, however, has been limited to elution tests

involving high concentrations of Zr where the evaporation steps were not required

to concentrate the analyte. Due to the high boiling point of H2SO4, the utilization of

Teflon vials became impracticable and glass beakers have been avoided since

they could contain significant amounts of Zr able to contaminate the samples.

6.3.1. Effect of method downscaling on separation efficiency

As presented in Figure 6.7, efficient separation of strontium and zirconium was

successfully achieved using a smaller column bed containing approximately 2 g of

AG50W-X8 resin.

Figure 6.7 – Separation of Sr and Zr using a 2M HNO3 to 6M HCl gradient in 2 g AG50W-X8 (100-200 mesh)

Among the advantages, downscaling allowed to reduce the volume of eluent

required and consequently elution time for complete separation. As presented in

Figure 6.8, the volume of 2M HNO3 required for the elution of Sr was decreased

from about 150 mL to about 20 mL.

Figure 6.8 – Volume of eluent for Sr elution as function of mass of AG50W-X8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150

Rec

over

y (%

)

Eluent (mL)

SrZr

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

10g 2g 1g 0.5g

2M H

NO

3 (m

L)

AG50W-X8 (g)

2M HNO3 6M HCl

64

Reducing column beds, however, has demanded the adjustment of the volume of

loaded sample in order to prevent extra-column effects [72]. In general, compatible

loading volumes have been proved to ensure peak shape and avoid peak overlap.

Suggested loading volumes according to the mass of resin used are presented in

Table 6.4.

Table 6.4 – Sample loading volumes according to the mass of dry resin used for separations

Mass of resin (g)

Sample (µL)

2 1000 1 500

0.5 250

6.4. Separation of Sr and Zr using an anion-exchange resin

As demonstrated in Figure 6.9 satisfactory separation has also been achieved

using the Dowex1-X8 resin (Acros Organics, 100-200 mesh).

Figure 6.9 – Separation efficiency for Sr and Zr using Dowex1-X8 resin

In agreement with the literature, separation was possible as Zr uptake increased

with HCl concentration while strontium that does not have any affinity with the resin

was immediately eluted from the column [55]. As presented in Figure 6.10,

maximum Zr uptake could be obtained at 11M HCl.

Figure 6.10 – Zirconium retention in Dowex1-X8 as function of HCl concentration

0102030405060708090

100110120

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

HCl (mL)

SrZr

50

60

70

80

90

100

8 9 10 11

Zr u

ptak

e (%

)

HCl (M)

11M HCl 4M HCl

66

At the end, 4M HCl has been proved to be the best condition for Zr elution. Under

this condition, however, recoveries higher than 100% have been observed, which

was interpreted as possible column contaminations or interferences in mass

spectrometry caused by traces of HCl in samples (Figure 6.11).

Figure 6.11 – Maximum recovery of Zr according to HCl concentration in

Dowex1-X8

6.5. IEC versus EXC for the separation of Sr and Zr

The performance of ion exchange and extraction resins has been carried out using

approximately 0.5 g of resin, 250 µL of sample loading, and 40 mL of eluent (i.e. 20

mL for Sr eluent and 20 mL for Zr eluent). In general, eluents have been chosen

according to their capability to provide the best resolution and/or maximum

recovery. Optimal results for each one of the four resins tested (AG50W-X8 – 100-

200 mesh, Dowex1-X8 – 100-200 mesh, Sr – 50-100 µm, and DGA – 50-100 µm)

are presented in Figure 6.12.

2030405060708090

100110120130

0 1 2 3 4

Zr re

cove

ry (%

)

HCl (M)

Figure 6.12 – Comparative of separation of Sr and Zr using ion exchange and extraction resins (a. AG50W-X8, b. DOWEX1-X8, c. Sr-Resin, d. DGA-Resin)

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

) SrYZr

a

2M HNO3 3M H2SO4

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

b

11M HCl 4M HCl

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

c

0.05M HNO3 3M HNO3

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

Eluent (mL)

d

0.05M HNO3 1M HNO3 H2O

68

Contrary to results obtained for IEC resins, Zr and Sr have exhibited opposite

behaviours in both Sr and DGA resins. Actually, the ability of zirconium to form

charged complexes has certainly increased its affinity with the aqueous mobile

phase, which probably contributed to reduce its retention time in EXC. Such an

effect could not be possible for Sr since it cannot form charged complexes and, for

that reason, it has shown stronger affinity with the organic stationary phase and a

longer retention time in Sr and DGA resins (Figure 6.13).

Figure 6.13 – Proposed extraction mechanism for Sr for its separation from

Zr by EXC

In practice, the possibility to recover zirconium before strontium reduced the risks

of peak overlap caused by tailing problems at high concentrations of Sr potentially

found in real samples. Results presented in Figure 6.14 show that tailing problems

started to become important once the Sr concentration increased from 10 µg/mL to

1000 µg/mL.

69

Figure 6.14 – Tailing effect as function of Sr concentration (AG50W-X8)

In terms of efficiency to eliminate possible isobaric interferences from yttrium,

limitations have been encountered specially for the AG50W-X8 and Sr resins,

where peak overlapping has been observed. The main issue for Dowex1-X8 and

DGA resins, on the other hand, has been associated to insufficient Zr recovery. For

DGA, Zr concentration has been found to be below the quantification limit.

6.6. Addition of HF in samples

Since the separation of Sr and Zr in real samples could be performed in presence

of trace levels of HF from digestion step, hydrofluoric acid has been added to

samples in order to assess its impact on separation efficiency.

For the anionic resin, separation was compromised after addition of 0.01% HF to

the samples. As demonstrated in Figure 6.15, peak overlapping has been

0102030405060708090

100

40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

Sr (%

)

2M HNO3 (mL)

10 µg/mL

50 µg/mL

100 µg/mL

1000 µg/mL

observed. Repulsion forces between neutral or positive complexes of zirconium

and the active site on resin surface probably contributed to accelerate Zr elution.

Figure 6.15 – Separation of Sr and Zr using Dowex1-X8 for samples containing HF

For DGA resin, on the other hand, the utilization of HF in samples has not only

helped to increase Zr recovery but also ensured separation efficiency. As

demonstrated in Figure 6.16, recovery of zirconium was increased from 11 1% to

102 10% and no overlapping has been detected after HF concentration was

increased from 0.01% to 0.2%.

0102030405060708090

100

0 5 10 15 20

Rec

over

y (%

)

Eluent (mL)

Sr

Zr

Figure 6.16 – Separation of Sr and Zr using DGA for samples containing HF (a. 0.01%, b. 0.2%)

In general, the HNO3/HF ratio of 5 has proved to be efficient to obtain a satisfactory

recovery of zirconium (Table 6.5). According to results, about 50% of zirconium

recovery was lost after increasing HNO3/HF ratio from 5 to 10. It was assumed that

the increase in NO3- concentration in the system has provoked competition against

F- ions to form zirconium complexes. Actually, even if fluoride complexes formation

was theoretically more favoured, in this case nitrate complexes were more likely to

form as a consequence of an excess of nitrate ions in the sample.

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

1M HNO3 0.05M HNO3

a

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Rec

over

y (%

)

Eluent (mL)

Sr

Zrb

72

Table 6.5 – Recovery of Zr in DGA Resin according to HNO3/HF ratio in samples

HNO3/HF Ratio

[HNO3] (M)

[HF] (M)

Recovery (%)

5 1 0.2 100

5 0.5 0.1 112

10 1 0.1 52

10 2 0.2 59

Due to the toxicity and risks of damaging glass components in mass

spectrometers, minimal HF concentrations have been considered and the

possibility of using HF as pure eluent has been totally discarded.

6.7. Summary of the efficiency of all resins tested

Table 6.6 summarizes the performance of the fours resins tested to separate

strontium from zirconium. The respective recoveries for each element under all the

experimental conditions tested over this work can be find in the Annexe 1.

Table 6.6 – Summary of resins performance to isolate Zr prior MS analyses

Resin Sr elimination Y elimination Separation

efficiency in presence of HF in

samples AG50W-X8 ݵ ݵ ݱ Dowex1-X8 ݵ ݱ ݱ Sr-Resin ݵ ݵ ݱ DGA-Resin ݱ ݱ ݱ

73

In general, DGA resin has proven to be the most efficient alternative to obtain

satisfactory separation and acceptable zirconium recovery. As presented in Table

6.6, DGA was the only resin able to eliminate both potential interferences from Sr

and Y at m/z 90 even under conditions where HF was present. Due to its superior

performance over other resins, a complete methodology using DGA resin for

isolating zirconium prior to MS analysis has been proposed (Figure 6.17).

Figure 6.17 – Complete methodology to separate Sr and Zr using DGA resin

Before starting the separation, the resin was usually cleaned with 50 mL of water

and conditioned with 5 mL 1M nitric acid. A blank was then recovered before

loading the sample. The sample load solution, was prepared in a mixture of 1M

HNO3 / 0.2M HF and finally, zirconium was recovered using a 10 mL 1M HNO3 as

the eluent.

6.8. Performance of DGA method for the recovery of trace levels of Zr

The method presented in Figure 6.17 has been tested in standard solutions

containing zirconium concentrations at ppt levels and concentrations for strontium

100 times higher than those for Zr (Figure 6.18).

Figure 6.18 – Comparative between experimental and expected results for the

recovery of trace levels of Zr using DGA resin

Except for samples 1 and 2, other samples exhibited a good correlation with

expected values. Average recovery obtained for zirconium was 94 ± 6%. The

detection limit for zirconium has been determined as being 92 pg/mL. No strontium

has been detected in the zirconium fractions. The detection limit for strontium has

been determined as being 48 pg/mL.

6.9. Determining the age of a radiostrontium source

In order to determine the age of radioactive source, the proposed separation

method using DGA-Resin was also applied to isolate zirconium-90 from its parent

Sr-90. The complete procedure used for the separation and analyses of Sr-90 and

Zr-90 is presented in Figure 6.19.

0

5

10

15

20

1 2 3 4 5 6

Zr (n

g/m

L)

Sample ID

Expected values Experimental Results E

75

Figure 6.19 – Procedure for determining the age of a radiostrontium source

As indicated, a solution containing 30 Bq/mL of radiostrontium (Sr-90 NIST

Standard, 14/04/2000) has been first separated in two different portions. The first

fraction was used to isolate Zr-90 with the DGA resin for further analyses by ICP-

MS, while the second was simply diluted in 15 mL of water for the analysis of Sr-90

by liquid scintillation.

As the exact concentration of Zr-90 was not available, blanks and standard

solutions have been used to ensure the quality of results for Zr analysis. For Sr-90,

it was observed that the experimental concentration was about 30 % lower than the

theoretical concentration (Figure 6.20).

Figure 6.20 – Comparative between theoretical and experimental

concentrations for the analysis of Sr-90 by liquid scintillation

Although the true age of the radiostrontium source was unknown, an age of 68 ±

11 years was proposed. Calculations have been based on the principles of the

decay law treated in section 2. The error of 11 years, however, has been

considered too high for nuclear forensic applications. Problems associated to the

quality of Sr-90 solution have been considered as the main cause to the lack of

accuracy encountered.

6.10. Potential of reaction cell to separate strontium from zirconium

As zirconium could be analyzed at m/z 106 to avoid isobaric interferences at m/z

90, some tests to assess the ability of Zr and Sr to form oxides in mass

spectrometry under different O2 concentrations have been carried out. Results for

standard solutions prepared in 4% HNO3 containing 5 ng/mL of Sr and 5 ng/mL of

Zr is presented in Figure 6.21.

y = 220.5756x R² = 0.9993

0

10

20

30

40

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20

cpm

Bq/mL

Theoretical [Sr-90] Experimental [Sr-90]

Figure 6.21 – Zr and Sr oxides formation in mass spectrometry as function of

O2 concentration in the reaction cell

The formation of ZrO+ (m/z 106) showed to be favoured at 10% oxygen, where a

maximum peak was detected. At this point, a decontamination factor of about 80%

against strontium was obtained.

Maximum decontamination factor has been achieved at 6 % O2. Under this

condition, there was about 17% of Zr that was transformed in zirconium oxide

(90Zr16O+) and about 2% of strontium oxide (88Sr16O+) that could be formed (Figure

6.22a and 6.22b). Such condition has allowed increasing decontamination factor

from 80% to 98 % to meet the minimum of 97% expected for date-aging

applications.

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Sign

al (c

ps)

O2 (%)

SrO+ZrO+

Figure 6.22 – Predominant species of Zr (a) and Sr (b) at 6% O2 in the

reaction cell

Although only 17% of Zr was expected to be formed at 6% O2, Figure 6.23 shows

that comparable results to m/z 90 could always be obtained. After analyzing a

series of solutions containing different concentrations of Zr, a good correlation (R2

= 0.997) between results obtained at m/z 90 and m/z 106 has been achieved.

0102030405060708090

100

85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125

Zr s

peci

es (%

)

a

90Zr+

90Zr16O+

90Zr16O1H+

90Zr16O1H2+

90Zr16O2+

0102030405060708090

100

85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125

Sr s

peci

es (%

)

88Sr+

88Sr16O+

88Sr16O1H+

88Sr16O2+

b

Figure 6.23 – Correlation between results for the analysis of Zr at m/z 90

and m/z 106

The only limitation found at 6% O2 was the maximum decontamination factor of

90% achieved to eliminate potential isobaric interferences from yttrium. In this

case, approximately 10 % of yttrium has demonstrated to react with oxygen to form

yttrium oxide (89Y16O+) that could interfere in the analysis of Zr at m/z 106 (Figure

6.24).

Figure 6.24 – Predominant species of Y at 6% O2 in the reaction cell

R² = 0.997

0102030405060708090

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Zr a

t m/z

= 1

06

(ng/

mL)

Zr at m/z = 90 (ng/mL)

0102030405060708090

100

85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125

Y sp

ecie

s (%

)

m/z

89Y+

89Y16O+ 89Y16O1H+

89Y16O2+

89Y16O1H2+

89Y1H+

81

Conclusions

The present work, demonstrates that the utilization of collision cells in MS without

prior chromatographic separation does not provide sufficient resolution to

completely isolate Zr from all its isobaric interferences. However, the results

suggest that triple quadrupole instruments (ICPQQQ-MS) have a potential to

significantly minimize the level of isobaric interferences while reducing both the

duration and the complexity of sample preparation procedures.

The technique was demonstrated to eliminate 98% of interferences from Strontium

and 90% of interferences from Yttrium that are eventually present at high levels in

seized sources of radiostrontium. Although the present work has concentrated all

the efforts on the development of a radiochronometric method to isolate Sr-90 from

Zr-90, it is believed that such a technique could also been applied to other longer-

lived radionuclides also of interest for nuclear security experts (e.g. Cs-137 (t1/2 =

30 y), Pu-238 (t1/2 = 88 y)).

Among four commercial resins tested, DGA has been proved to provide the best

performance for the radiological separation. Recoveries higher than 99% for Zr

have been obtained. The DGA approach has also been demonstrated to be the

faster approach and the more efficient to eliminate both the isobaric interferences

from Strontium and Yttrium. None of these two elements have been detected by

mass spectrometry after the chromatographic separation.

Finally, the proposed method using DGA combined to MS and liquid scintillation for

the respective analysis of Zr-90 and Sr-90 has been applied to determine the age

of an aqueous solution of radiostrontium. Although the true age of the radioactive

82

source was unknown, an age of 68 ± 11 years was calculated. The uncertainty of

11 years observed, however, has been considered too high for nuclear forensic

applications. Problems associated to the quality of Sr-90 solution have been

considered as the main cause to the lack of accuracy encountered.

More tests using sources of radiostrontium having well known ages would help to

identify the major sources of error. They would also validate the proposed method

while helping to determine the precision of the age determined experimentally.

Likewise, the utilization of Teflon material and ultra-pure acidic solutions would

help to minimize systematic errors by preventing any trace of unwanted

contamination.

83

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87

Annexe 1

separation and analysis of sr-90 and zr-90 for nuclear forensic

Documents