Feasibility of actinide separation from UREX-like raffinates using a combination of sulfur- and oxygen-donor extractants

Conference · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013

OSTI ID:1133879

Zalupski, Peter R.; Peterman, Dean R.; Riddle, Catherine L.

A synergistic combination of bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl)dithiosphosphinic acid and trioctylphosphine oxide has been recently shown to selectively remove uranium, neptunium, plutonium and americium from aqueous environment containing up to 0.5 M nitric acid and 5.5 g/L fission products. Here the feasibility of performing this complete actinide recovery from aqueous mixtures is forecasted for a new organic formulation containing sulfur donor extractant of modified structure based on Am(III) and Eu(III) extraction data. A mixture of bis(bis-m,m-trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-dithiosphosphinic acid and TOPO in toluene enhances the extraction performance, accomplishing Am/Eu differentiation in aqueous mixtures up to 1 M nitric acid. The new organic recipe is also less susceptible to oxidative damage resulting from radiolysis.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1133879
• Report Number(s): INL/CON-13-29227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
aqueous separations