Synergistic Extraction of Trivalent Actinides and Lanthanides Using Htta and an Aza-Crown Ether

Abstract

An aza-crown ether, 4,13-didecyl-1,7,10,16-tetraoxa-4,13-diazacyclooctadecane (K22DD) has been shown to have a synergistic effect on the extraction of trivalent lanthanides and actinides by thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA). The extraction of Am(III), Cm(III), Am(III), Eu(III), Ce(III), and Pm(III) from an aqueous acetate buffer system (pH=4.8) into HTTA/K22DD/chloroform phase was studied at 25[ddot]C. Distribution coefficients were measured as a function of HTTA concentration, K22DD concentration, and pH user radiotracer techniques. The synergistic species was determined from these studies to be M(TTA)3.K22DD. The results show that the presence of K22DD synergizes the extraction of each of the metals studied by factors of approximately lO⁴-1O⁵. Slightly larger organic phase stability constants were measured for the trivalent actinides relative to the trivalent lanthanides.