Development of separation process for transuranium elements and some fission products using new extractants and adsorbents

Separation process for transuranium elements (TRU = Am, Cm, Np and Pu) and some fission products (Sr, Cs and Mo) has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency using new innovative extractants and adsorbents to improve the partitioning process from the viewpoints of the economy and the reduction of secondary wastes. Phosphorus-free compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen (CHON principle) were applied to the separation steps for TRU, Cs and Sr by using solvent extraction or extraction chromatography. At the first step, TRU and rare-earth elements (RE) are recovered from high-level liquid waste by solvent extraction with N,N,N',N'-tetra-dodecyl-diglycolamide (TDdDGA). Trivalent actinides Am and Cm, are separated from RE at the next step by extraction chromatography using N,N'-dioctyl-N,N'- diphenyl-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxy-amide (Oct-PDA). Heat-generating fission products Cs and Sr are separated from the raffinate of the TDdDGA extraction step by extraction chromatography using calix-crown derivatives for Cs and crown ether derivatives for Sr, sequentially. Finally, Mo is separated by adsorption with an iron oxide adsorbent. This paper presents research and development results concerning the separation process. (authors)