Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Precipitation of uranium and plutonium from alkaline salt solutions

Journal Article · · Nuclear Technology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.13182/NT128-103· OSTI ID:20000607
Addition of sodium hydroxide to radioactive waste solutions produced a heterogeneous mixture of solids that exhibit different settling characteristics. Plutonium effectively coprecipitated with iron and uranium, and uranium with iron. Aluminum proved ineffective as a coprecipitating agent for either plutonium or uranium. Coprecipitation of uranium and plutonium occurs when the mole ratio of coprecipitating agent to actinide exceeds 1,500. Addition of water to the alkaline slurries that simulate dilution during retrieval and pretreatment of high-level wastes results in dissolution of small amounts of uranium and plutonium in some slurries. The amount of uranium and plutonium dissolved did not saturate the solution in either actinide.
Research Organization:
Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
OSTI ID:
20000607
Journal Information:
Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 128; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English