Book Description

Solvent extraction, with tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) as the solvent and nitric acid as the saltine agent, has been utilized as an efficient method for the separation of uranium and plutonium from fission products. A solution of TBP in refined kerosene extracts uranium (VI) and plutonium (IV) from a nitric acid solution of irradiated uranium, leaving the bulk of the fission products in the aqueous phase. The organic phase is then treated successively with fresh nitric acid to remove fission products, with ferrous sulfamate in nitric acid to recover the plutonium which has been reduced to plutonium (III), and finally with water to recover the uranium. At this point the uranium and plutonium have been quantitatively separated from one another. Further decontamination from fission products may be achieved in a second cycle of solvent extraction if required.