Abstract:
A radiochemical procedure for separation of
93Nb
m,
94Nb from dissolution of spent fuel based on extraction using BPHA, back-extraction using ammonia, and extraction twice by
α-benzoin oxime to remove
93Mo is developed. The procedure has decontamination factors of 2.4×10
6, 1×10
3 to
137Cs,
93Mo respectively and better than 10
4 to
144Ce and
103Ru. The efficiency curve at low energy region of broad energy Ge detector was calibrated using standard source of
241Am,
137Cs and
57Co. So the efficiency of
93Nb
m can be known from the curve. Finally, using this detection method and the procedure described before, the
93Nb
m radioactivity in one kind of spent fuel dissolution is determined to be (126.87±4.86) Bq/g, and the specific activity of
94Nb is less than 0.05 Bq/g.