Solvent extraction behaviors of Americium(III) and Europium(III) using 2-hydroxy-2-methyloctanoic acid and 2-hydroxy-2-trifluoromethyloctanoic acid

Solvent extraction behaviors of Am(III) and Eu(III) using 2-hydroxy-2-methyloctanoic acid (Hhmo) and 2-hydroxy-2-trifluoromethyloctanoic acid (Hhfo) were investigated in aqueous acetic acid/1-octanol at 20 deg C. In both cases, distribution ratios (D) of the organic/aqueous phases increased with increasing pH of the aqueous solution. The DAm(Hhfo) and DEu(Hhfo) values were found to be much higher than those for DAm(Hhmo) and DEu(Hhmo), respectively, under similar pH conditions. The maximum separation factor of DEu(Hhfo)/DAm(Hhfo) was 2.31 ± 0.70 0.80 at pH 4.29. The differences between DAm(Hhmo) and DEu(Hhmo) values were relatively small in the pH region under consideration. (author)