New alkyl-pyridinedicarboxyamides as extractants for separationof trivalent minor actinides from fission products by extraction chromatography

Abstract

Abstract Four new alkyl-pyridinedicarboxyamides (R-PDA; R = butyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl) were synthesized and used as extractants for partitioning minor actinides from high level radioactive waste using extraction chromatography. The R-PDAs were successfully impregnated into XAD resins (Amberlite). The prepared adsorbents, R-PDA/XAD, exhibited moderate adsorptions of both Am(III) and Eu(III), and separation between Am(III) and Eu(III), over a high HNO3 concentration range (3–5 M). Deterioration of the prepared adsorbent as a result of contact with HNO3 solution was prevented by using R-PDAs containing longer alkyl groups. The equilibrium data for Eu(III) were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption of Eu(III) ions onto the R-PDA/XAD was fitted better to the Langmuir isotherm than to the Freundlich isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity was determined to be 24.2 mg Eu/g (R-PDA/XAD).