Resumen de Some experiences with chemical and physical techniques for the separation of different species of man-made radionuclides in environmental waters
B. R. Harvey, K. S. Leonard, M. B. Lovett
The underlying reasons which make the study of speciation particularly important for man-made radionuclides are briefly considered in the context of radioactive waste disposal. A number of chemical procedures designed to separate and identify oxidation-state and other species of various radioelements, such as the transuranics, technetium and cobalt are described. Their applicability in both saline and freshwater systems are critically assessed. Some experiences in the use of the physical technique ultra-filtration, for the sizefractionation of the colloidal phase of environmental waters are discussed and its usefulness, especially for the characterisation of both simple and complex species, is explored. Physical and chemical methods are seen as complementary in the study of environmentally important man-made radionuclide species in waters but in both cases much remains to be done to perfect the techniques.
