Oxidative Alkaline leaching of Americium from simulated high-level nuclear waste sludges
Oxidative alkaline leaching has been proposed to pre-treat the high-level nuclear waste sludges to remove some of the problematic (e.g., Cr) and/or non-radioactive (e.g., Na, Al) constituents before vitrification. It is critical to understand the behavior of actinides, americium and plutonium in particular, in oxidative alkaline leaching. We have studied the leaching behavior of americium from four different sludge simulants (BiPO{sub 4}, BiPO{sub 4 modified}, Redox, PUREX) using potassium permanganate and potassium persulfate in alkaline solutions. Up to 60% of americium sorbed onto the simulants is leached from the sludges by alkaline persulfate and permanganate. The percentage of americium leached increases with [NaOH] (between 1.0 and 5.0 M). The initial rate of americium leaching by potassium persulfate increases in the order BiPO{sub 4} sludge < Redox sludge < PUREX sludge. The data are most consistent with oxidation of Am{sup 3+} in the sludge to either AmO{sub 2}{sup +} or AmO{sub 2}{sup 2+} in solution. Though neither of these species is expected to exhibit long-term stability in solution, the potential for mobilization of americium from sludge samples would have to be accommodated in the design of any oxidative leaching process for real sludge samples.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Director. Office of Science. Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Argonne National Laboratory Contract W-31-109-ENG-38
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 861291
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-54752; SSTEDS; R&D Project: 406101; BnR: KP1301020; TRN: US0600291
- Journal Information:
- Separation Science and Technology, Vol. 40, Issue 5; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 2005; ISSN 0149-6395
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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