Extraction of plutonium ions from aqueous sulfuric acid solutions with D/sub 2/EHPA or D/sub 2/EHPA/TOPO

Patent · Tue Apr 10 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6429733

Lieser, K H; Stojanik, B

A method is described for separating plutonium ions from an aqueous solution containing sulfuric acid. The method comprises introducing into the aqueous solution 0.1 to 1.5 moles of nitrate ions per liter of aqueous solution. To the aqueous solution containing nitrate ions, there is added an organic phase comprising a solution of 0.1 to 1.0 M di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid in kerosene in a volume ratio of the aqueous solution containing nitrate ions to the organic phase of between 1:1 and 4:1 to extract the plutonium ions into the organic phase. The organic phase containing plutonium ions is then separated from the aqueous solution. A re-extractant aqueous solution containing 0.2 to 1.0 M oxalic acid, and 0 to 0.5 M nitric acid is then added to the separated organic phase to re-extract the plutonium ions into the re-extractant aqueous solution. The re-extractant aqueous solution containing plutonium ions is then separated from the organic phase.

• Assignee: Kernforschungszentrum Karisruhe GmbH (Germany, Federal Republic of)
• Patent Number(s): US 4442071
• OSTI ID: 6429733
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ACTINIDES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ESTERS
EXTRACTION
HDEHP
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE
IONS
METALS
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTERS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM IONS
RECOVERY
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SULFURIC ACID
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS