Abstract
Sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate are not extracted by phosphoric acid tributyl ester (TBP) in the plutonium uranium extraction (PUREX) process. The effect of these inextractable metal nitrates on the solubility and distribution data of TBP has been studied. The solubility of TBP in water in the presence of different concentrations of sodium nitrate is determined, and salting coefficient of TBP is calculated. It has been observed that the solubility of TBP in nitric acid decreases in the presence of both inextractable nitrates, that is, sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate. The effect of inextractable metal nitrates on the equilibrium data for the TBP–dodecane–nitric acid system has been studied. The distribution coefficient value of TBP is greater in the presence of sodium nitrate solutions as compared with calcium nitrate solutions due to more salting out of TBP. Because sodium nitrate is a better salting agent than calcium nitrate, the variation in the concentration of nitric acid at equilibrium was more in sodium nitrate solutions in comparison with that in calcium nitrate solutions. The data obtained will be useful in separating dissolved TBP from acidic waste for safe disposal of nuclear waste.
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