Selective Partitioning of Ruthenium from Nitric Acid Media
Abstract
Ruthenium removal from PUREX raffinate solutions is imperative for the application of some advanced actinide partitioning technologies, particularly partitioning of hexavalent americium. Ruthenium interferes with the oxidation of americium and suppresses its extraction. Selective extraction of ruthenium from these solutions is complicated by the existence of multiple ruthenium species in nitric acid. In this work, ruthenium is selectively extracted from nitric acid media through oxidation to ruthenium tetroxide and absorption into polymer beads. Extraction of ruthenium tetroxide into a variety of organic solvents is also explored. The use of UV-Visible spectroscopy to quantify extraction of ruthenium tetroxide was demonstrated. This method for extraction of ruthenium from nitric acid was applied to PUREX raffinate simulant solution and was found to simultaneously remove ruthenium (through oxidation and absorption) and zirconium (through precipitation). This method not only removes ruthenium and zirconium from solution but also separates ruthenium and zirconium from each other. Thus, the two most problematic fission product elements for the PUREX process are separated in a single step. Further, americium was not extracted or sorbed, which should allow it to be partitioned following ruthenium/zirconium removal using existing oxidative treatments.
- Authors:
-
[2]
- Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Aqueous Separations and Radiochemistry Dept.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Fuel Cycle Technologies (NE-5); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1407962
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1395959
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-16-39725
Journal ID: ISSN 0736-6299
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003180; AC07-05ID14517
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 35; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0736-6299
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; americium; fuel cycle; oxidation; partitioning; ruthenium; solvent extraction; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; ru
Citation Formats
Richards, Jason M., and Mincher, Bruce J. Selective Partitioning of Ruthenium from Nitric Acid Media. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1080/07366299.2017.1279923.
Richards, Jason M., & Mincher, Bruce J. Selective Partitioning of Ruthenium from Nitric Acid Media. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2017.1279923
Richards, Jason M., and Mincher, Bruce J. Fri .
"Selective Partitioning of Ruthenium from Nitric Acid Media". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2017.1279923. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1407962.
@article{osti_1407962,
title = {Selective Partitioning of Ruthenium from Nitric Acid Media},
author = {Richards, Jason M. and Mincher, Bruce J.},
abstractNote = {Ruthenium removal from PUREX raffinate solutions is imperative for the application of some advanced actinide partitioning technologies, particularly partitioning of hexavalent americium. Ruthenium interferes with the oxidation of americium and suppresses its extraction. Selective extraction of ruthenium from these solutions is complicated by the existence of multiple ruthenium species in nitric acid. In this work, ruthenium is selectively extracted from nitric acid media through oxidation to ruthenium tetroxide and absorption into polymer beads. Extraction of ruthenium tetroxide into a variety of organic solvents is also explored. The use of UV-Visible spectroscopy to quantify extraction of ruthenium tetroxide was demonstrated. This method for extraction of ruthenium from nitric acid was applied to PUREX raffinate simulant solution and was found to simultaneously remove ruthenium (through oxidation and absorption) and zirconium (through precipitation). This method not only removes ruthenium and zirconium from solution but also separates ruthenium and zirconium from each other. Thus, the two most problematic fission product elements for the PUREX process are separated in a single step. Further, americium was not extracted or sorbed, which should allow it to be partitioned following ruthenium/zirconium removal using existing oxidative treatments.},
doi = {10.1080/07366299.2017.1279923},
journal = {Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange},
number = 1,
volume = 35,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 03 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Fri Feb 03 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}
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