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Title: Fundamental Chemistry of the Universal Extraction (UNEX) for the Simultaneous Separation of Fission Products and Transurancies from High-Level Waste Streams

Abstract

Collaborative research by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Khlopin Radium Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia) has already developed and validated the concept of a Universal Extraction (UNEX) solvent for simultaneously removing radioactive strontium, cesium, and transuranics from acidic aqueous waste streams in a single unit operation. These development efforts focused on the application of the process, where extractants were simply evaluated for extraction efficiency. No fundamental data exist on the chemistry of the UNEX solvent or its molecular interactions with extracted metal ions. The objective of this project is to conduct research that experimentally combines classical chemical techniques with advanced instrumental methods to elucidate the mechanisms of simultaneous metal extraction, along with subsequent deployment of Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) experiments to identify and explain the coordination geometries of extracted metal ions. This project will develop a fundamental understanding of the complicated, synergistic extraction chemistry of the multi-component UNEX extractant. The results will facilitate enhancements to the process chemistry-increasing the efficiency of the UNEX process, minimizing primary and secondary waste streams, and enhancing compatibility of the product streams with the final waste forms--with the global objective of implementing the UNEX process at the industrial scale.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) (US)
OSTI Identifier:
834782
Report Number(s):
EMSP-81895-2002
R&D Project: EMSP 81895; TRN: US200433%%349
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Jun 2002
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ABSORPTION; CESIUM; CHEMISTRY; COMPATIBILITY; EFFICIENCY; FINE STRUCTURE; FISSION PRODUCTS; RADIUM; SOLVENTS; STRONTIUM; WASTES

Citation Formats

Herbst, R Scott. Fundamental Chemistry of the Universal Extraction (UNEX) for the Simultaneous Separation of Fission Products and Transurancies from High-Level Waste Streams. United States: N. p., 2002. Web. doi:10.2172/834782.
Herbst, R Scott. Fundamental Chemistry of the Universal Extraction (UNEX) for the Simultaneous Separation of Fission Products and Transurancies from High-Level Waste Streams. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/834782
Herbst, R Scott. 2002. "Fundamental Chemistry of the Universal Extraction (UNEX) for the Simultaneous Separation of Fission Products and Transurancies from High-Level Waste Streams". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/834782. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/834782.
@article{osti_834782,
title = {Fundamental Chemistry of the Universal Extraction (UNEX) for the Simultaneous Separation of Fission Products and Transurancies from High-Level Waste Streams},
author = {Herbst, R Scott},
abstractNote = {Collaborative research by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Khlopin Radium Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia) has already developed and validated the concept of a Universal Extraction (UNEX) solvent for simultaneously removing radioactive strontium, cesium, and transuranics from acidic aqueous waste streams in a single unit operation. These development efforts focused on the application of the process, where extractants were simply evaluated for extraction efficiency. No fundamental data exist on the chemistry of the UNEX solvent or its molecular interactions with extracted metal ions. The objective of this project is to conduct research that experimentally combines classical chemical techniques with advanced instrumental methods to elucidate the mechanisms of simultaneous metal extraction, along with subsequent deployment of Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) experiments to identify and explain the coordination geometries of extracted metal ions. This project will develop a fundamental understanding of the complicated, synergistic extraction chemistry of the multi-component UNEX extractant. The results will facilitate enhancements to the process chemistry-increasing the efficiency of the UNEX process, minimizing primary and secondary waste streams, and enhancing compatibility of the product streams with the final waste forms--with the global objective of implementing the UNEX process at the industrial scale.},
doi = {10.2172/834782},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/834782}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002},
month = {Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002}
}