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Title: Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Radionuclides - A Green Technology for Nuclear Waste Management

Abstract

Supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) is capable of extracting radionuclides including cesium, strontium, uranium, plutonium and lanthanides directly from liquid and solid samples with proper complexing agents. Of particular interest is the ability of SF-CO2 to dissolve uranium dioxide directly using a CO2-soluble tri-nbutylphosphate- nitric acid (TBP-HNO3) extractant to form a highly soluble UO2(NO3)2(TBP)2 complex that can be transported and separated from Cs, Sr, and other transition metals. This method can also dissolve plutonium dioxide in SF-CO2. The SF-CO2 extraction technology offers several advantages over conventional solvent-based methods including ability to extract radionuclides directly from solids, easy separation of solutes from CO2, and minimization of liquid waste generation. Potential applications of the SF-CO2 extraction technology for nuclear waste treatment and for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels will be discussed. Information on current demonstrations of the SF-CO2 technology by nuclear companies and research organizations in different countries will be reviewed.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
OSTI Identifier:
826212
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 226th American Chemical Society Meeting, New York, NY (US), 09/07/2003--09/11/2003; Other Information: PBD: 10 Sep 2003
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; CARBON DIOXIDE; CESIUM; CHELATING AGENTS; LIQUID WASTES; NITRIC ACID; NUCLEAR FUELS; PLUTONIUM; PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOISOTOPES; RARE EARTHS; REPROCESSING; SOLUTES; STRONTIUM; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; URANIUM; URANIUM DIOXIDE

Citation Formats

Wai, Chien M. Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Radionuclides - A Green Technology for Nuclear Waste Management. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Wai, Chien M. Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Radionuclides - A Green Technology for Nuclear Waste Management. United States.
Wai, Chien M. 2003. "Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Radionuclides - A Green Technology for Nuclear Waste Management". United States.
@article{osti_826212,
title = {Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Radionuclides - A Green Technology for Nuclear Waste Management},
author = {Wai, Chien M},
abstractNote = {Supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) is capable of extracting radionuclides including cesium, strontium, uranium, plutonium and lanthanides directly from liquid and solid samples with proper complexing agents. Of particular interest is the ability of SF-CO2 to dissolve uranium dioxide directly using a CO2-soluble tri-nbutylphosphate- nitric acid (TBP-HNO3) extractant to form a highly soluble UO2(NO3)2(TBP)2 complex that can be transported and separated from Cs, Sr, and other transition metals. This method can also dissolve plutonium dioxide in SF-CO2. The SF-CO2 extraction technology offers several advantages over conventional solvent-based methods including ability to extract radionuclides directly from solids, easy separation of solutes from CO2, and minimization of liquid waste generation. Potential applications of the SF-CO2 extraction technology for nuclear waste treatment and for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels will be discussed. Information on current demonstrations of the SF-CO2 technology by nuclear companies and research organizations in different countries will be reviewed.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/826212}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2003},
month = {Wed Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2003}
}

Conference:
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