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Studies on the separation of Am(III) from trivalent lanthanides in high-level waste solution using modifier-free solvents and aqueous soluble bis-1,2,4-triazines

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Abstract

The selective partitioning of trivalent actinides (An(III)) from high-level liquid waste (HLLW) is considered as an essential step in the management of spent nuclear fuel. The i-SANEX process for the separation of An(III) from the co-existing lanthanides (Ln(III)) in 4 M nitric acid solution and simulated HLLW was studied using a couple of symmetrical diglycolamides (TODGA and TDDGA) and an unsymmetrical diglycolamide (D3DODGA) in n-dodecane as the extraction phase. The selective stripping of Am(III) from the loaded organic phase containing trivalent Ln(III) was investigated using aqueous soluble bis-1,2,4-triazine derivatives such as SO3-Ph-BTP, SO3-Ph-BTBP and SO3-Ph-BTPhen in dilute nitric acid solution. The results revealed that the SF of Eu(III) over Am(III) decreased with increase in the concentration of nitric acid in all cases and SF decreased in the order SO3-Ph-BTP > SO3-Ph-BTBP > SO3-Ph-BTPhen. The co-stripping of lighter lanthanides (La, Ce, Pr, Nd) was also observed during the recovery of Am(III).

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Acknowledgements

The authors from Easwari Engineering College acknowledge the financial support received from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), India (Ref. No. AERB/CSRP/PROJ.No.65/06/2017) and the Grant-in-Aid by FIST scheme from Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India (Sanction Order No: SR/FIST/college-110/2017 dated on 16-01-2018). All authors thank Dr. N. Sivaraman, Director, Materials Chemistry and Metal Fuel Cycle Group, IGCAR for his keen interest in the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Easwari Engineering College, Ramapuram, Chennai, 600089, India

    Jeesmon Jose, N. S. Karthikeyan, B. Venkatachalapathy & C. Ravichandran

  2. Materials Chemistry and Metal Fuel Cycle Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    T. Prathibha, K. A. Venkatesan & S. Sriram

  3. Safety Research Institute, Energy Regulatory Board, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    H. Seshadri

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  1. Jeesmon Jose
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  4. K. A. Venkatesan
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Correspondence to N. S. Karthikeyan or K. A. Venkatesan.

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Jose, J., Prathibha, T., Karthikeyan, N.S. et al. Studies on the separation of Am(III) from trivalent lanthanides in high-level waste solution using modifier-free solvents and aqueous soluble bis-1,2,4-triazines. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 1819–1829 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07442-9

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