Electrodeposition of selected alpha-emitting radionuclides from oxalate-ammonium sulfate electrolyte and measured by means of solid-state alpha spectrometry

This method describes electrodeposition of selected group of alpha-emitting radionuclides such as the method suitable for measurement by means of solid-state alpha spectrometry. The effect of volume and pH of electrolyte, distance of electrodes, current and plating time in presence of ammonium oxalate, hydroxyl ammonium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, and DTPA (diethyltriaminopentaacetic acid) versus different alpha-emitting radionuclides was observed in order to optimize the conditions and to obtain the maximum yield. The chemical yield of this method is approximately by 4% higher than for the Talvitie’s method and it corresponds with study of Lee MH et al. The group of isotopes that were studied includes 232U, 238Pu, 241Am, 243Am, and 244Cm.