Separation of neptunium from actinides by monoamides: a solvent extraction study
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Bholanath Mahanty
Abstract
Separation of neptunium from a mixture of actinides viz. uranium, neptunium and plutonium was evaluated using two monoamides, viz. N,N,-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) and N,N,-dihexyl decanamide (DHDA). The extraction of actinides with these ligands followed the order: U(VI)>Np(IV)>>Pu(III). Poor extraction of Pu(III) with both the amides (DHOA and DHDA) was exploited for the mutual separation of U, Pu and Np. At 3 M HNO3, DHDA was a better extractant for all the three metal ions while Pu(III) extraction was one order magnitude lower with DHOA as compared to that seen with DHDA. Consequently, better separation factor of U(VI)/Np(IV) over Pu(III) was obtained with DHOA. In the actinide mixed solution, Pu was reduced to its +3 state followed by selective extraction of U(VI) and Np(IV). Subsequently, the mutual separation of U(VI) and Np(IV) was carried out by selective complexation and stripping of Np(IV) by acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) at 2 M HNO3, where U(VI) remained in the organic phase. The purity of the separated actinides was confirmed by alpha spectrometry. A separation scheme for the separation of Np from radioactive waste/high level waste has been proposed.
Acknowledgement
The authors thank Dr. P.K. Pujari, Assoc. Director, Radiochemistry & Isotope Group for his constant encouragement and keen interest in this work.
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©2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Separation of neptunium from actinides by monoamides: a solvent extraction study
- Adsorption of Th(IV) on the modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes using central composite design
- Sorption of Cs(I) on Fe-montmorillonite relevant to geological disposal of HLW
- Sorption behavior of Co-radionuclides from radioactive waste solution on graphene enhanced by immobilized sugarcane and carboxy methyl cellulose
- Preparation of chitosan functionalized polyamidoamine for the separation of trivalent lanthanides from acidic waste solution
- Understanding the recovery of Ruthenium from acidic feeds by oxidative solvent extraction studies
- Radiochemical evidence for the contribution of iron (using 59Fe) remobilization efficiency towards nitrogen (N) and Fe deficiency tolerance in wheat
- Studies on the radiolytic degradation of N,N-dioctyl-2-hydroxyacetamide using dynamic light scattering and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Separation of neptunium from actinides by monoamides: a solvent extraction study
- Adsorption of Th(IV) on the modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes using central composite design
- Sorption of Cs(I) on Fe-montmorillonite relevant to geological disposal of HLW
- Sorption behavior of Co-radionuclides from radioactive waste solution on graphene enhanced by immobilized sugarcane and carboxy methyl cellulose
- Preparation of chitosan functionalized polyamidoamine for the separation of trivalent lanthanides from acidic waste solution
- Understanding the recovery of Ruthenium from acidic feeds by oxidative solvent extraction studies
- Radiochemical evidence for the contribution of iron (using 59Fe) remobilization efficiency towards nitrogen (N) and Fe deficiency tolerance in wheat
- Studies on the radiolytic degradation of N,N-dioctyl-2-hydroxyacetamide using dynamic light scattering and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy
