Separation of heat-generating nuclides and transuranium element by granulated inorganic ion-exchangers

The mutual separation of heat-generating nuclides (Cs, Sr) and transuranium element (Am) from denitrated high-level liquid wastes has been studied by using inorganic ion exchangers of crystalline antimonic acid (C-SbA) and H-form of mordenite (HSM). Since the C-SbA exchanger exhibited high distribution coefficients (Kd) of Na+, Sr2+ and Am3+, and HSM had high selectivity towards Cs+, these nuclides were effectively adsorbed on the two-layered column of C-SbA/HSM. The successive elution of Am3+→Cs+→Sr2+ was accomplished by flowing 2 M HNO3, 5 M NH4NO3 and 13 M HNO3 solutions as eluents, respectively; the elution percentage of Am3+, Cs+ and Sr2+ was estimated to be 89.8, 98.0 and 88.0%, respectively. (author)