Fuel reprocessing solvent tributyl phosphate. Its degradation, clean-up and disposal

Solvent degradation work at Harwell is described, including the identification of materials with very high metal retention properties and which appear to be long chain dialkyl phosphoric acids. Work on solid absorbents, for solvent clean-up, points to the possible use of an inorganic oxide as an alternative to the alkali wash. Destruction of tributyl phosphate by strong caustic soda produces aqueous dibutyl phosphate solution containing practically all the original radioactivity. (author)