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Chemical study on the separation and purification of promethium-147

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Abstract

A chemical process for the separation of147Nd/147Pm from fission products of synthetic radioactive waste solution has been developed. The process includes: (1) denitration, (2) removal of high concentration of uranium by 30% TBP/kerosene extraction, (3) removal of95Nb,103Ru,137Cs and part of90Sr by 50% TBP/dodecane extraction, (4) separation of147Nd/147Pm from part of90Sr and95Zr by oxalic acid precipitation, and (5) removal of144Ce by mixture of 0.4M D2EHPA and 0.2M TBP extraction. Experimental results indicate that the recovery of147Nd/147Pm in the final separated solution is about 90%. The purification of147Nd and147Pm from some other rare earth elements, viz.153Sm,154Eu and144Ce was further investigated by using a Dowex 50W×8 ion-exchanger. Parameters of flow rate, eluent concentration and pH were examined. The results show that the recovery and radionuclide purity of147Nd plus147Pm under the present separation conditions are 77.8% and 98.6% for diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and 87.3% and 99.5% for nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, P.O. Box 3-6, 32500, Lung-Tan, Taiwan (Republic of China)

    Chung-Sin Lee, Yun-Ming Wang, Wu-Long Cheng & Gann Ting

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  1. Chung-Sin Lee
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  2. Yun-Ming Wang
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  3. Wu-Long Cheng
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  4. Gann Ting
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Lee, CS., Wang, YM., Cheng, WL. et al. Chemical study on the separation and purification of promethium-147. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 130, 21–37 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037697

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02037697

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