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Separation and recovery of ruthenium from nitric acid medium by electro-oxidation

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Abstract

Electro-oxidation method was employed for the separation of Ru as RuO4 vapour, from nitrosyl nitrate and simulated high level liquid waste (SHLLW) solutions. Separation of 95 and 54 % Ru were accomplished from RuNO(NO3)3 and SHLLW respectively, in 1 M nitric acid using 20 mA cm−2 as the anodic current density and with 0.02 M Ce as the redox catalyst at 318 K, using an undivided cell. To minimize the deleterious effect of nitrite ions, a divided cell with glass frit as the diaphragm was designed and 75 and 80 % Ru were separated from the nitrosyl nitrate and SHLLW solutions at 313 ± 2 K, in 4 M HNO3 without any catalyst.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. K. Sankaran, Head, Analytical Chemistry & Spectroscopy Section, Chemistry Group, IGCAR for his support in the analysis of Ru and to Shri U. Veeramani and T. Selvan, Reprocessing R&D Division for their help in the experimental work. Ms. Pravati Swain acknowledges gratefully, the financial support provided by Department of Atomic Energy in the form of Research Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reprocessing Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603 102, India

    Pravati Swain, R. Srinivasan, C. Mallika, U. Kamachi Mudali & R. Natarajan

  2. Chemistry Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603 102, India

    S. Annapoorani

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  1. Pravati Swain
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  2. S. Annapoorani
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  3. R. Srinivasan
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  4. C. Mallika
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  5. U. Kamachi Mudali
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Correspondence to C. Mallika.

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Swain, P., Annapoorani, S., Srinivasan, R. et al. Separation and recovery of ruthenium from nitric acid medium by electro-oxidation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 303, 1865–1875 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3638-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3638-4

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