Extraction of Strontium from Acidic Nitrate Media Using a Modified PUREX Solvent∗

ABSTRACT

A new process for the extraction and recovery of strontium from acidic waste streams is described. In this process, a modification of the previously described SREX (for strontium extraction) process, strontium is extracted from acidic (≥ 2 M nitric acid) solution using a 0.2 M solution of di-t-butylcyclohexano-18-crown-6 in any of a variety of phase modifier / paraffinic hydrocarbon mixtures, among them a PUREX-like diluent comprised of a 1.2 M solution of tri-n-butyl-phosphate in Isopar L. Tests of this process solvent on a synthetic dissolved sludge waste show that only strontium and barium are appreciably extracted by the crown ether under the experimental conditions. As expected, uranium and plutonium are extracted even in the absence of the crown ether.

Notes

Work performed under the auspices of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences and the Office of Technology Development, Efficient Separation Processes, Integrated Programs, U.S. Department of Energy under contract number W- 31-109-ENG-38.

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Notes on contributors

Robin D. Rogers

Permanent address: Department of Chemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb,IL