Partitioning of actinides from high-level liquid waste employing supported liquid membrane technique using TOPO in n-dodecane as carrier

Abstract

This paper describes the studies on the partitioning of actinides from high-level liquid waste of PUREX origin employing supported liquid membrane technique. The process uses solution of tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide in n-dodecane as a carrier with polytetrafluoroethylene support and a mixture of citric acid, formic acid and hydrazine hydrate as a receiving phase. Transport of ²⁴¹Am has been studied as a function of various parameters such as acidity of feed, concentration of carrier, effect of uranium concentration, effect of trivalent ions and salt concentration in the feed in order to optimize efficient transport conditions. The studies indicated good transport of actinides like uranium, neptunium, plutonium and americium across the membrane from nitric acid medium. Under the optimized conditions, the transport of ²⁴¹Am is also studied from a uranium-depleted synthetic pressurized heavy water reactor-high-level liquid waste (HLLW). Also the technique has been used for the partitioning of alpha emitters from research reactor-HLLW.

Keywords:

• TOPO
• ²⁴¹Am
• Supported liquid membrane
• Partitioning of actinides

Acknowledgement

The Authors wish to thank Shri P. Janardanan, Head, FRD, for his keen interest and support in the present investigation.