Abstract
<p>Recycling of actinides from spent nuclear fuel by their selective separation followed by transmutation in fast reactors will optimize the use of natural uranium resources and minimize the long-term hazard from high-level nuclear waste. This paper describes solvent extraction processes recently developed, aimed at the separation of americium from lanthanide fission products as well as from curium present in the waste. Depicted are novel poly-N-heterocyclic ligands used as selective extractants of actinide ions from nitric acid solutions or as actinide-selective hydrophilic stripping agents.</p>
Highlights
Climate changes caused by greenhouse effect force us to a significant reduction in global emissions, in particular of CO2
The biggest disadvantage of nuclear energy is the possibility of a major radioactive incident caused by strongly radiotoxic long-lived nuclear waste produced during operation of nuclear power plants
The COEX (CO-EXtraction of actinides) process developed in France leaves certain amounts of recovered uranium with the plutonium which is sent to the mixed oxide fuels (MOX) fuel fabrication [3]
Summary
Climate changes caused by greenhouse effect force us to a significant reduction in global emissions, in particular of CO2 (agreement on the UN Climate Change Conference, Paris, December 2015). The biggest disadvantage of nuclear energy is the possibility of a major radioactive incident caused by strongly radiotoxic long-lived nuclear waste produced during operation of nuclear power plants This potential long-term threat to humans and the environment must be reduced to the minimum. To meet this challenge, extensive research is being carried out worldwide on improving the present technologies of reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), focused on a drastic reduction of the radiotoxicicity of the nuclear waste by closing nuclear fuel cycle. Extensive research is being carried out worldwide on improving the present technologies of reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), focused on a drastic reduction of the radiotoxicicity of the nuclear waste by closing nuclear fuel cycle These endeavors are an important element of the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy. The results of related R&D and fundamental works in the field of solvent extraction separation of minor actinides from the nuclear wastes have been presented and discussed
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