Technetium behavior in fuel reprocessing for nuclear power plants

The extraction was studied of technetium and zirconium from nitrate solutions with a dodecane solution of tributyl phosphate. The mechanism of the co-extraction of Tc and Zr was suggested. The behavior was studied of Tc in the co-extraction of uranium and plutonium in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The distribution of Tc in the individual co-extraction stages was calculated as was the degree of its separation with regard to the efficiency of the process of Tc co-extraction with Zr and uranium. The possibility of controlling the behavior of Tc at a given stage of the technological process is being considered. (author). 5 figs., 2 tabs., 12 refs