On-line gross alpha radiation monitoring of natural waters with extractive scintillating resins

Extractive scintillating resins, which are used to simultaneously separate and quantify radioactivity in aqueous solutions, were developed for low-level alpha radiation monitoring of natural waters. Resins were investigated with bis(2-ethylhexyl)methane-diphosphonic acid (H2DEH[MDP], Dipex®) extractant, which has a strong affinity for tri-, tetra- and hexavalent actinides in dilute acids. Extractive scintillating resins were manifested (1) as a mixed bed of scintillating resin and extraction chromatographic resin and (2) by diffusing the organic fluor 2-(1-naphtyl)-5-phenyloxazole into macroporous polystyrene chromatographic resin, then coating with H2DEH[MDP], or by coating H2DEH[MDP] on scintillating polyvinyltoluene beads. The scintillation light was detected with a modified Hidex Triathler to allow for continuous flow measurements. The average detection efficiencies were 51.7±2.6% and 65.8±10.1% for natural uranium and 241Am, respectively, for the extractant coated scintillator. The resin was stable for solution flow of up to 1000 ml resulting in rapid real-time quantification of natural uranium in groundwater down to 30 μg/ml.