The purification of plutonium by anion exchange in nitric acid

Plutonium nitrate solution stored for long after separation from uranium and fission products by anion-exchange and containing a large amount of hydroxyl-amine hydrochloride used as eluent, was repurified by anion-exchange. Radiochemical determination of plutonium isotopes - both in the purified plutonium solution and waste solution - was also studied. The results were as follows; (1) Pu (IV) was adsorbed on anion-exchange resin (Dowex-1 x 2, 200∼400 mesh) in 7.2 N nitric acid solution at about 60℃, and was eluted with 0.35 N nitric acid. (2) Plutonium was recovered with a yield of 97%. (3) High purity plutonium was obtained leaving ²⁴¹Am in the waste solution. (author)