Separation of select metal isotopes from a mixed activation and fission product sample

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the ability of cation and actinide resins to isolate Be, Mn, Ni, and Cs from a mixed activation and fission product sample. Overall, the isolation of three fractions (Be/Mn, Cs, and Ni) was achieved via sequential cation and Actinide resin columns using non-radioactive surrogates and would potentially allow for quantitative analysis of select radioactive isotopes using single gamma ray energy analysis and ICP-OES. Recoveries of Mn and Be were comparable to those measured previously, although some co-elution of the Ni with the Cs fraction can occur.