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Highly efficient separation of Np(IV) with three Benzene-centered tripodal diglycolamides: solvent extraction and supported liquid membrane transport studies

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Published/Copyright: July 18, 2025
Radiochimica Acta
From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 113 Issue 10

Abstract

The separation of neptunium from high level liquid waste (HLLW) is a challenging task. The variable oxidation state of neptunium and the autocatalytic generation of nitrous acid complicate its extraction into the PUREX (Plutonium Uranium Redox Extraction) solvent. Here, three benzene centered multiple diglycolamide (DGA) ligands were explored for the liquid-liquid extraction and transport study of Np(IV) across a PTFE flat sheet supported liquid membrane. The ligands were dissolved in a 5 % isodecanol-95 % n-dodecane mixture. The transport studies were carried out keeping 239Np tracer in the feed phase (usually 3 M HNO3) and the strip phase containing 0.5 M HNO3 + 0.5 M oxalic acid mixture, while extraction studies were usually performed from 3 M HNO3. Both the studies suggest that ligand L I , in which the three DGA arms are connected to the 1,3,5-positions of the benzene ring via ethylene spacers, containing ethyl groups at the other positions, showed the highest extraction and transport of Np(IV). Ligand L III , with a propyloxy ether between the ring and the DGA unit, displayed the lowest, while ligand L II , having an amido ethylene linkage between the DGA moiety and the benzene ring, showed intermediate extraction and transport behavior. The transport data suggest a highly efficient transport of Np(IV) (about 85–95 %, 5 h) with all the ligands. The permeability coefficient, diffusion coefficients and stability were also determined.

Keywords: diglycolamide (DGA); neptunium (Np); diffusion; stability
Corresponding authors: Bholanath Mahanty and Prasanta Kumar Mohapatra, Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India, E-mail: (B. Mahanty), (P. K. Mohapatra)

Acknowledgment

The authors (BM, AS) thank Dr. R. B. Gujar, SO/E, RCD for his effort in arranging the radioactivity for the experiments.

  1. Research ethics: The study does not involve human/animal, therefore notapplicable.

  2. Informed consent: All the authors prior consent was taken.

  3. Author contributions: B. Mahanty- Conceptualization, writing originaldraft, writing review; A. Srivastava-Data curation; P. K. Mohapatra-visualization, writing review, supervision; A. Leoncini-Ligand synthesis, visualization; J. Huskens-Ligand synthesis, visualization; W. Verboom-Writing review, supervision.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: Data is available on request.

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Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2025-0014).

Received: 2025-02-14
Accepted: 2025-06-29
Published Online: 2025-07-18
Published in Print: 2025-10-27

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Papers
  3. Highly efficient separation of Np(IV) with three Benzene-centered tripodal diglycolamides: solvent extraction and supported liquid membrane transport studies
  4. Mechanistic insights into La(III) extraction using HDEHP: toward effective rare earth recovery from radioactive waste
  5. Influence of carbon dioxide and water concentration on terbium thin films produced by Molecular Plating
  6. Adsorption behavior of Se(IV) in calcium-based (natural) bentonite and sodium-based (engineered modified) bentonite
  7. Assessing the protective properties of Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds against gamma radiation
  8. Electromagnetic radiation shielding of NBR rubber composites loaded with magnetite and manganese dioxide
  9. Beyond conventional barriers: gamma radiation protection innovations with BaO–PbO2–B2O3–Pr6O11 glass systems
  10. Study of the influence of micro-and nano-scale ZnO particles on the radiation shielding capability of B2O3–PbO–BaO–ZnO glass system
https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2025-0014
Keywords for this article
diglycolamide (DGA); neptunium (Np); diffusion; stability

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Original Papers
  3. Highly efficient separation of Np(IV) with three Benzene-centered tripodal diglycolamides: solvent extraction and supported liquid membrane transport studies
  4. Mechanistic insights into La(III) extraction using HDEHP: toward effective rare earth recovery from radioactive waste
  5. Influence of carbon dioxide and water concentration on terbium thin films produced by Molecular Plating
  6. Adsorption behavior of Se(IV) in calcium-based (natural) bentonite and sodium-based (engineered modified) bentonite
  7. Assessing the protective properties of Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds against gamma radiation
  8. Electromagnetic radiation shielding of NBR rubber composites loaded with magnetite and manganese dioxide
  9. Beyond conventional barriers: gamma radiation protection innovations with BaO–PbO2–B2O3–Pr6O11 glass systems
  10. Study of the influence of micro-and nano-scale ZnO particles on the radiation shielding capability of B2O3–PbO–BaO–ZnO glass system
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