Review Article: The Effects of Radiation Chemistry on Solvent Extraction 3: A Review of Actinide and Lanthanide Extraction

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/07366290903114098· OSTI ID:970632

Mincher, Bruce J; Modolo, Giuseppe; Mezyk, Stephen P

The partitioning of the long-lived ?-emitters and the high-yield fission products from dissolved nuclear fuel is a key component of processes envisioned for the safe recycling of nuclear fuel and the disposition of high-level waste. These future processes will likely be based on aqueous solvent extraction technologies for light water reactor fuel and consist of four main components for the sequential separation of uranium, fission products, group trivalent actinides and lanthanides, and then trivalent actinides from lanthanides. Since the solvent systems will be in contact with highly radioactive solutions, they must be robust toward radiolytic degradation in an irradiated mixed organic, aqueous acidic environment. Therefore, an understanding of their radiation chemistry is important to the design of a practical system. In the first paper in this series we reviewed the radiation chemistry of irradiated aqueous nitric acid and the tributyl phosphate ligand for uranium extraction in the first step of these extractions. In the second, we reviewed the radiation chemistry of the ligands proposed for use in the extraction of cesium and strontium fission products. Here, we review the radiation chemistry of the ligands that might be used in the third step in the series of separations, for the group extraction of the lanthanides and actinides. This includes traditional organophosphorous reagents such as CMPO and HDEHP, as well as novel reagents such as the amides and diamides currently being investigated.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 970632
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-09-15607
• Journal Information: Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, Journal Name: Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange Journal Issue: 5 - 6 Vol. 27; ISSN 0736-6299; ISSN SEIEDB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
ACTINIDES
AMIDES
CESIUM
DESIGN
FISSION PRODUCTS
G-values
NITRIC ACID
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RARE EARTHS
RECYCLING
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
STRONTIUM
TBP
URANIUM
WATER
actinide extraction
amides
free radicals
lanthanide extraction
organophosphorous
radiation chemistry