Method for the separation of carbon isotopes by chemical exchang

Chemistry of inorganic compounds – Carbon or compound thereof – Elemental carbon

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Details

210681, 210682, 210690, 423DIG7, C01B 3100

Patent

active

044068700

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new method for the separation of carbon isotopes. More particularly, it is concerned with a method for the separation of the isotopes of carbon utilizing an isotope exchange reaction with respect to carbon between a dissociated type chemical species of a carbon-containing acid and a non-dissociated type chemical species of said acid wherein the desired carbon isotope is separated and concentrated in one of the below-mentioned phases by the separation between a solid phase and a solution phase using an anion exchange resin.


DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Naturally existing carbon is a mixture of about 98.89% by weight of carbon possessing a mass number of 12 (C.sup.12) with about 1.11% of carbon possessing a mass number of 13 (C.sup.13).
C.sup.13 has been employed for labeling of chemical compounds in various fileds such as clinical medicine, pharmaceutics, biochemistry, agriculture or the like by using its nonradioactivity and, hence, the need for C.sup.13 has been highly increased. Consequently, the development of a technique for more efficient separation of C.sup.13 at a higher concentration has been desired in various fields.
The main methods for the separation of C.sup.13 presently utilized comprise a condensing distillation method, a thermal diffusion method, a chemical exchange method and a laser method. Even the condensing distillation method, which has been at present regarded as the leading one among those methods, requires a considerably expensive cost for the separation, which leads to a hindrance in the availability of C.sup.13.
The chemical exchange method, on the other hand, utilizes an isotope exchange reaction with respect to carbon between different carbon-containing chemical species. More specifically, an isotope exchange reaction with respect to carbon as represented by the following chemical equation (1) can occur between different carbon-containing chemical species, CX and CY, and, in a case where its equilibrium constant deviates from 1, contact of both chemical species can provide concentration of C.sup.13 in one of both chemical species. ##STR1##
There have been hitherto known various combinations of chemical species capable of producing such an isotope effect.
However, all previous chemical exchange methods have been limited to those utilizing an isotope exchange reaction between a gas phase and a liquid phase, between a gas phase and a solution phase, or between a solution phase and a solution phase. In the case where an isotope exchange reaction between a gas phase and a liquid phase or between a gas phase and a solution phase is to be utilized, the reaction efficiency becomes significantly lower because of exchange performed solely on a gaseous surface. Also, in the case of an isotope exchange reaction between two solution phases, separation of different chemical species is troublesome and the process for multiplying isotope exchange reactions tends to be complicated in order to attain the desired isotope at a highly concentrated level. Therefore, the current chemical exchange methods have not improved on the condensing distillation method. On the other hand, the condensing distillation method basically involves major problems in an economical aspect owing to a heavy energy consumption.


DISCLOSURE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

This invention provides a method for the separation of carbon isotopes by a chemical exchange method, which may concentrate C.sup.13 with a higher separation efficiency in comparison with the prior art methods. More particularly, the invention employs an aqueous solution containing an acid-dissociated type chemical species and a non-dissociated type chemical species of a carbon-containing acid as different carbon-containing chemical species, contacts said aqueous solution with an anion exchange resin as a solid phase, thereby effecting an isotope exchange reaction between said acid-dissociated chemical species and said non-dissociated chemical species. Concurrently said acid-dissociated chemical species is

REFERENCES:
patent: 3535079 (1970-10-01), Palko
patent: 3607010 (1971-06-01), Brown
patent: 3627487 (1971-08-01), Jepson

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