Using high-throughput techniques to identify complexants for 137Cs, 60Co and 90Sr

High-throughput synthetic and screening methods have been used to prepare and evaluate caesium, cobalt and strontium selective sequestering agents derived from aza-crown ethers. Storage phosphor autoradiography was the screening method used to determine potential lead compounds. The most effective complexants for Cs+ have a very high selectivity over potassium ions and will bind picomolar quantities of Cs+ in the presence of mM K+. The binding and selectivity of these compounds with Co-60 and Sr-90 have also been investigated and selectivity was also determined with tap water and Ca2+, respectively. Experiments with tap water spiked with Cs-137 and Co-60 were carried out to confirm the decontamination capabilities of some of our compounds and a good correlation between autoradiography and these results were found.