Recovering actinide values

Actinide values are recovered from sodium carbonate scrub waste solutions containing these and other values along with organic compounds resulting from the radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation of neutral organophosphorus extractants such as tri-n butyl phosphate (TBP) and dihexyl-N, N-diethyl carbamylmethylene phosphonate (DHDECMP) which have been used in the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear reactor fuels. The scrub waste solution is made acidic with mineral acid, to form a feed solution which is then contacted with a water-immiscible, highly polar organic extractant which selectively extracts the degradation products from the feed solution. The feed solution can then be processed to recover the actinides for storage or recycled back into the high-level waste process stream. The extractant can be recycled after stripping the degradation products with a neutral sodium carbonate solution. (author)