NICKEL-63: RADIOCHEMICAL SEPARATION AND MEASUREMENT WITH AN ION IMPLANTED SILICON DETECTOR

A method has been developed for the determination of63Ni in environmental samples. The samples are ashed and leached with aqua regia whereafter hydroxides are precipitated with ammonia, leaving Ni in the aqueous phase. Nickel is extracted as dimethyl glyoxime complex by chloroform and back-extracted with HCl. Finially, Ni is electroplated onto a copper disc from an ammonium sulphate medium at high pH. The radiochemical yield is determined by atomic absorption measurements of stable Ni before and after electrodeposition.