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Separation of 99Tc from low level radioactive liquid waste using hollow fiber supported liquid membrane: optimisation and performance evaluation

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Abstract

Low level radioactive liquid waste (LLW) obtained after treatment of Intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW) is highly alkaline and rich in 99Tc as the pertechnetate ion. It is considered as a long-term hazard in nuclear waste disposal. Solvent extraction of Pertechnetate species was performed using crown ether impregnated hollow fibre membrane using nitrobenzene and TBP solvents in different membrane modules. Better D values were obtained with Nitrobenzene however in view of toxicity of nitrobenzene study was also conducted with TBP and TBP nitrobenzene mix solvent. With nitrobenzene solvent almost 95% of 99Tc was separated in four contacts. However with increase in TBP content the percentage extraction is decreasing due to decrease in D value. The results are presented and discussed in the paper.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Prof. (Dr.) A.K.Tyagi, Associate Director, Chemistry Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, for his guidance and support in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tarapur, 401504, India

    D. A. Thakur, Anil K. Pabby, T. P. Valsala, D. B. Sathe & R. B. Bhatt

  2. BARC Safety Council Secretariat, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    N. L. Sonar

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  1. D. A. Thakur
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  2. N. L. Sonar
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  3. Anil K. Pabby
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  4. T. P. Valsala
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  5. D. B. Sathe
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  6. R. B. Bhatt
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Correspondence to D. A. Thakur.

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Thakur, D.A., Sonar, N.L., Pabby, A. et al. Separation of 99Tc from low level radioactive liquid waste using hollow fiber supported liquid membrane: optimisation and performance evaluation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 330, 811–820 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07983-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07983-7

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