Controlling Pu behavior on Titania: Implications for LEU Fission-Based Mo-99 Production

Journal Article · Fri Sep 29 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.7b02967· OSTI ID:1417840

Youker, Amanda J. ^[1]; Brown, M. Alex ^[1]; Heltemes, Thad A. ^[1]; Vandegrift, George F. ^[1]

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1. Nuclear Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States

Molybdenum-99 is the parent isotope of the most widely used isotope, technetium-99m, in all diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures. Due to proliferation concerns associated with the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU), the preferred method of fission-based Mo-99 production uses low enriched uranium (LEU) targets. Using LEU versus HEU for Mo-99 production produces similar to 30 times more Pu-239, due to neutron capture on U-238 to produce Np-239, which ultimately decays to Pu-239 (t(1/2) = 24,110 yr). Argonne National Laboratory is supporting a potential US Mo-99 producer in their efforts to produce Mo-99 from an LEU solution. In order to mitigate the generation of large volumes of greater-than-class-C (GTCC) low level waste (Pu-239 concentrations greater than 1 nCi/g), we have focused our efforts on the separation chemistry of Pu and Mo with a titania sorbent in sulfate media. Results from batch and column experiments show that temperature and acid wash concentration can be used to control Pu behavior on titania.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA-20)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1417840
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research Journal Issue: 40 Vol. 56; ISSN 0888-5885
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

low enriched uranium
plutonium
titania