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Abstract: Combining extraction and scintillation properties within the same material is a relatively new approach in development of sensors for detection of radioactive elements. Structural organization of such materials at a nanoscale typically offers higher efficiency of detection and shorter response time. In this contribution, several new protocols are discussed for fabrication of stable extractive scintillating systems based on commercial Superlig 620 (SL) material with high affinity to radiostrontium. Application of hybrid organic–inorganic beads with SL particles used as core and halloysite clay nanotubes (HNT) modified with a polyvinyltoluene (PVT) brush as a permeable shell combines high‐performance extracting properties of the SL material with efficient light emission properties of the polymer scintillator. The developed SL–HNT–PVT hybrid extractive scintillating material allows real‐time detection of low‐level concentrations of radiostrontium in water. Moreover, the suggested approach is not limited to detection of Sr but can find broader application in development of chemical, biological, or radioluminescent sensors and multifunctional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented here is the development of sensor materials that are applicable for real-time in situ quantification of radiostrontium in aqueous solutions. Two different approaches were applied to prepare highly selective structures for simultaneous extraction and detection of radiostrontium using online detection methods. Online data were acquired with a flow scintillation analyzer IN/US β-Ram model 5 (LabLogic Systems, Inc) with a 30-s dwell time. Both approached utilized the commercially available SuperLig620 solid-phase extractant (IBC Technologies, Inc.) to concentrate the strontium in combination with a scintillator to quantify the radioactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterization of SuperLig® 620 solid phase extraction resin was performed in order to develop an automated on-line process monitor for 90Sr. The main focus was on strontium separation from barium, with the goal of developing an automated separation process for 90Sr in high-level wastes. High-level waste contains significant 137Cs activity, of which 137mBa is of great concern as an interference to the quantification of strontium. In addition barium, yttrium and plutonium were studied as potential interferences to strontium uptake and detection. A number of complexants were studied in a series of batch Kd experiments, as SuperLig® 620 was not previously known to elute strontium in typical mineral acids. The optimal separation was found using a 2 M nitric acid load solution with a strontium elution step of ~0.49 M ammonium citrate and a barium elution step of ~1.8 M ammonium citrate. 90Sr quantification of Hanford high-level tank waste was performed on a sequential injection analysis microfluidics system coupled to a flow-cell detector. The results of the on-line procedure are compared to standard radiochemical techniques in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Star-like polyacrylamides are identified as efficient flocculants for U, Sr, and Cs. • Application of such polymers with kaolinites enables rapid purification of water. • Within 20 min >95% of U, Sr, Cs radionuclides can be removed under neutral condition. • The process can be readily scaled up for industrial applications in water treatments. We report on the mechanisms and application of dextran-graft-polyacrylamide star-like polymers as efficient flocculation aids. Demonstrated in this paper is that these polymers form complexes with three common radionuclide contaminants: uranium, strontium, and cesium. Application of these polymers as flocculant aids together with inexpensive kaolinite-like materials allows fast and efficient purification of water. The methods presented here can be easily scaled up to industrial level decontamination of wastewater or used in large scale production of potable water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]