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Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions

Patent ·
OSTI ID:873495
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
  2. Knoxville, TN
  3. Ooltewah, TN
+ Show Author Affiliations

A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix[4]arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.

Research Organization:
LOCKHEED MARTIN ENERGY RES COR
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Number(s):
US 6174503
OSTI ID:
873495
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (12)

Synthesis and Binding Property of Tunable Upper-Rim Calix[4]crowns journal April 1996
Upper rim calixcrowns: elucidation of the mechanism of conformational interconversion of calix[4]arenes by quantitative 2-D EXSY NMR spectroscopy journal March 1991
III. Cesium extractive metallurgy Ore to metal journal November 1966
Selective extraction of cesium from acidic nitrate solutions with didodecylnaphthalenesulfonic acid synergized with bis(tert-butylbenzo)-21-crown-7 journal December 1992
Synthesis and co-ordination chemistry of a novel bis(benzo crown ether) substituted calix[4]arene that can simultaneously complex cations and anions journal January 1995
Molecular engineering. Part 2.1 Influence of side-chain substituents in lariat-type upper-rim calix[4]crowns on their binding properties and the reversal of these journal January 1997
Nuclear waste treatment by means of supported liquid membranes containing calixcrown compounds journal January 1994
Applicability of a Calixarene-Crown Compound for the Removal of Cesium from Alkaline Tank Waste journal January 1997
1,3-Dialkoxycalix[4]arenecrowns-6 in 1,3-Alternate Conformation: Cesium-Selective Ligands that Exploit Cation-Arene Interactions journal August 1994
Synthesis, Complexation, and Membrane Transport Studies of 1,3-Alternate Calix[4]arene-crown-6 Conformers: A New Class of Cesium Selective Ionophores journal March 1995
Cation recognition by new diester- and diamide-calix[4]arenediquinones and a diamide-benzo-15-crown-5-calix[4]arene
  • Beer, Paul D.; Chen, Zheng; Gale, Philip A.
  • Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Molecular Recognition in Chemistry, Vol. 19, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00708992
journal January 1994
Doubly Crowned Calix[4]arenes in the 1,3-Alternate Conformation as Cesium-Selective Carriers in Supported Liquid Membranes journal September 1995

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Related Subjects

/423/252/
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