Extraction of transplutonium elements from carbonate solution with alkylpyrocatechol

The extraction of americium, berkelium, as well as Ce, Eu, Th, U, Zr, Cs, and Fe from carbonate solution with a solution of 4-(α,α-dioctylethyl)pyrocatechol (DOP) in toluene has been studied with the aim of finding conditions for their separation. It was established that the extraction of americium was very sensitive to changes in the concentration of potassium carbonate. The maximum recovery of americium (R greater than or equal to 90%) was observed from 0.1-0.5 mole/liter solutions of K2CO3 and the minimum (R = 2.5%) from 8 mole/liter K2CO3. The extraction of americium sharply increased when potassium hydroxide was introduced into the carbonate solutions. It was shown that by varying the concentration of potassium hydroxide a quantitative recovery of americium could be secured even from a saturated solution of potassium carbonate. Reextraction of the TPE was readily achieved with a 3 mole/liter solution of HCl. The system K2CO3(KOH)-DOP has potential application for the separation of Am from Bk, Ce, Cs, and the actinide elements as well as from Fe