Separation of Actinides Using Capillary Extraction Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry*.

Trace levels of actinides have been separated on capillary extraction chromatography columns. Detection of the actinides was achieved using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, which was coupled with the extraction chromatography system. In this study, we compare 30-cm long, 4.6 mm i.d. columns to capillary columns (750 µm i.d.) with lengths from 30 cm up to 150 cm. The columns that were tested were packed with TRU resin. We were able to separate a mixture of five actinides (232Th, 238U, 237Np, 239Pu, and 241Am). This work has application to rapid bioassay as well as automated separations of actinide materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]