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Mercury extraction by the TRUEX process solvent. II. Selective partitioning of mercury from co-extracted actinides in a simulated acidic ICPP waste stream

Journal Article · · Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Co., Inc., ID (United States)
The TRUEX process is being evaluated at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) as a means to partition the actinides from acidic sodium-bearing waste (SBW). The mercury content of this waste averages 1 g/l. Because the chemistry of mercury has not been extensively evaluated in the TRUEX process, mercury was singled out as an element of interest. Radioactive mercury, {sup 203}Hg, was spiked into a simulated solution of SBW containing 1 g/l mercury. Successive extraction batch contacts with the mercury spiked waste and successive scrubbing and stripping batch contacts of the mercury loaded TRUEX solvent (0.2 M CMPO-1.4 M TBP in dodecane) show that mercury will extract into and strip from the solvent. The extraction distribution coefficient for mercury, as HgCl{sub 2}, from SBW having a nitric acid concentration of 1.4 M and a chloride concentration of 0.035 M was found to be 3. The stripping distribution coefficient was found to be 0.5 with 5 M HNO{sub 3} and 0.077 with 0.25 M Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. Because experiments described here show that mercury can be extracted from SBW and stripped from the solvent, a process has been developed to partition mercury from the actinides in SBW. 10 refs., 3 figs., 10 tabs.
OSTI ID:
42548
Journal Information:
Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, Journal Name: Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 13; ISSN 0736-6299; ISSN SEIEDB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English