Difference between revisions of "Radionuclide Generator"
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This lab exercise was developed for the [[Course KJM 5911 - Laboratory Exercieses in Radio Chemistry (UiO)|UiO KJM 5911 course]]. The students will prepare a ion-exchange collumn using DOWEX-50 ion-exchange material and extract <sup>234</sup>Th from a <sup>234</sup>U solution. The thorium sticks to the ion exchanger and 1.17-min <sup>234</sup>Pa will grow inn. The column can be milked once every 12 min. The students use <sup>234</sup>Pa samples to measure its half life. | This lab exercise was developed for the [[Course KJM 5911 - Laboratory Exercieses in Radio Chemistry (UiO)|UiO KJM 5911 course]]. The students will prepare a ion-exchange collumn using DOWEX-50 ion-exchange material and extract <sup>234</sup>Th from a <sup>234</sup>U solution. The thorium sticks to the ion exchanger and 1.17-min <sup>234</sup>Pa will grow inn. The column can be milked once every 12 min. The students use <sup>234</sup>Pa samples to measure its half life. | ||
− | ==== Learning | + | ==== Learning Goals ==== |
*To learn about radionuclide generators, | *To learn about radionuclide generators, | ||
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*learing about ion-exchange collumns. | *learing about ion-exchange collumns. | ||
− | ==== | + | ==== Explanation and Exercise Guide ==== |
− | + | ==== Equipment ==== | |
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− | |||
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− | ==== Safety | + | *2 M HCl on 100 mL flasks, one for each student) |
+ | *DOWEX 50x4 (50-100 mesh) | ||
+ | *Uranyl nitrate - UO<sub>2</sub>(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub><sub></sub> | ||
+ | *NaAc + K<sub>4</sub>[Fe(CN)<sub>6</sub>] solution (on 100 mL flasks, one for each student) (prepared by mixing 8 g NaC<sub>2</sub>H<sub>3</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and 40 g K<sub>4</sub>[Fe(CN)<sub>6</sub>] in 1 L water) | ||
+ | *5% citric acid (on 100 mL flasks, one for each student) | ||
+ | *0.1 M AgNO<sub>3</sub> (on 50 mL flasks) | ||
+ | *Suitable columns which can be fitted with a stopper connected to a rubber ball so it can be pressurized (to quickly elute drops with short lived 234Pa from the column). | ||
+ | *Stop watches (one for each student) | ||
+ | *Sample holders to catch eluted drops from the colund and which can be mounted conveniently in the detector chamber | ||
+ | *Detectors - GM counters works well, but we have also used plastic scintillators mounted on PMTs and NaI-detectors. High efficiency is necessary to get god counting statistics even after the first 5-6 minutes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Safety Aspects ==== | ||
*Chemical safety - nothing particulary dangerous, 2 M HCl and 0.1 M AgNO3 should of course be handled according to normal safety precations. DOWEX residues and waste should be collected and handled according to normal procedures. | *Chemical safety - nothing particulary dangerous, 2 M HCl and 0.1 M AgNO3 should of course be handled according to normal safety precations. DOWEX residues and waste should be collected and handled according to normal procedures. |
Revision as of 03:38, 6 January 2011
This lab exercise was developed for the UiO KJM 5911 course. The students will prepare a ion-exchange collumn using DOWEX-50 ion-exchange material and extract 234Th from a 234U solution. The thorium sticks to the ion exchanger and 1.17-min 234Pa will grow inn. The column can be milked once every 12 min. The students use 234Pa samples to measure its half life.
Learning Goals
- To learn about radionuclide generators,
- working with short half lives,
- getting more training in handling radioactive material,
- learing about ion-exchange collumns.
Explanation and Exercise Guide
Equipment
- 2 M HCl on 100 mL flasks, one for each student)
- DOWEX 50x4 (50-100 mesh)
- Uranyl nitrate - UO2(NO3)2
- NaAc + K4[Fe(CN)6] solution (on 100 mL flasks, one for each student) (prepared by mixing 8 g NaC2H3O2 and 40 g K4[Fe(CN)6] in 1 L water)
- 5% citric acid (on 100 mL flasks, one for each student)
- 0.1 M AgNO3 (on 50 mL flasks)
- Suitable columns which can be fitted with a stopper connected to a rubber ball so it can be pressurized (to quickly elute drops with short lived 234Pa from the column).
- Stop watches (one for each student)
- Sample holders to catch eluted drops from the colund and which can be mounted conveniently in the detector chamber
- Detectors - GM counters works well, but we have also used plastic scintillators mounted on PMTs and NaI-detectors. High efficiency is necessary to get god counting statistics even after the first 5-6 minutes.
Safety Aspects
- Chemical safety - nothing particulary dangerous, 2 M HCl and 0.1 M AgNO3 should of course be handled according to normal safety precations. DOWEX residues and waste should be collected and handled according to normal procedures.
- Rad. safety - very small amounts of uranyl nitrate is used, so rad. safety is mostly about regulations and not a real healt hazzard. Remember to collect the DOWEX from the ion-exchange collumns in separate containers as it is contaminated with 24-day 234Th (will be none-radioactive after one year).