Chromatography separation of minor actinides from Ln3+ rich high-level radioactive liquid waste (HLW) using bis-triazinyl-pyridine (BTP) resin

Abstract

ABSTRACT Separation of Minor Actinide (MA) from High-level Radioactive Liquid Waste (HLW), especially from Ln3+, is greatly needed in the nuclear fuel cycle to reduce the long-term radiotoxicity associated with the waste and for transmutation use. Devising a simple process and designing an extractant is challenging due to the chemical similarity of An3+ and Ln3+ in aqueous solutions. Hence, a tailor-made extractant was prepared, and the partitioning of MA (An3+: 241Am and 244Cm) from Ln3+ rich HLW has been demonstrated using indigenously developed Camphor-based Bis-Triazinyl-Pyridine (CA-BTP) impregnated XAD−7 (BTP Resin). The BTP resin exhibited good adsorption selectivity toward An3+ over Ln3+, acceptable adsorption kinetic, and adequate stability against HNO3 (<2.5 mol/L) and γ-irradiation. The % decontamination factor (DF) achieved was > 99.99 for 137Cs and 154Eu, and 99.7 for Nd. Separated 241Am was precipitated with a saturated solution of oxalic acid. The performance of BTP resin reveals that it has an excellent potential to separate 241Am from Ln3+-rich HLW solution in pure form.