Skip to main content
Log in

Separation of uranium from solid (U, Pu, Ag) oxide analytical waste: effect of batch size and nitric acid molarity

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Quality control analyses of Pu based nuclear fuels for trace metallic content by the DC-Arc-AES technique, produce a large amount of solid analytical waste containing Pu, U and Ag. Through the present study, an attempt was made to separate uranium from the bulk of the analytical waste using HNO3 leaching. Systematic studies have been carried out to optimize various parameters, such as acid molarity, contact time, and batch size, required to remove uranium preferentially from the solid waste leaving behind Pu and other impurities. The concentrations of U, Pu, Ag and other impurities during this exercise were intermittantly determined using ICP-AES.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ramaniah MV (1982) Analytical chemistry of fast reactor fuels—a review. Pure Appl Chem 54:889–908

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Page AG, Godbole SV, Deshkar S, Babu Y, Joshi BD (1977) Spectrographic determination of metallic impurities in PuO2. Fresenius Z Anal Chem 287:304–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Scribner BF, Mullin HR (1946) Carrier-distillation method for spectrographic analysis and its application to the analysis of uranium base materials. J Res Natl Bur Stand 37:379–389 (RPI 753)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cleveland JM (1979) The chemistry of plutonium. American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sayi SY, Radhakrishna J, Yadav CS, Shankaran PS, Chhapru GC, Prasad R (1992) Recovery of plutonium from graphite crucibles generated in inert gas/vacuum fusion technique. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 159:83–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Adya VC, Sengupta A, Dhawale BA, Rajeswari B, Thulasidas SK, Godbole SV (2012) Recovery of americium from analytical solid waste containing large amounts of uranium, plutonium and silver. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 291:843–848

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ansari S, Chaudhury S, Mohapatra PK, Agarwal SK, Manchanda VK (2013) Recovery of plutonium from analytical laboratory waste using hollow fiber supported liquid membrane technique. Sep Sci Technol 48:208–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sankhe RH, Sengupta A, Mirashi NN (2014) Simultaneous recovery of plutonium and americium from assorted analytical waste solutions using extraction chromatography. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 302:617–622

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lei X, Qi G, Sun Y, Xu H, Wang Y (2014) Removal of uranium and gross radioactivity from coal bottom ash by CaCl2 roasting follwed by HNO3 leaching. J Hazard Mater 276:346–352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kim SS, Kim WS, Kim GN, Park HM, Park VR, Moon JK (2013) Decontamination of uranium contaminated concrete. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 298:973–980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ikeuchi H, Ishihara M, Yano K, Kaji N, Nakajima Y, Washiya T (2014) Dissolution behaviour of (U, Zr)O2 based simulated fuel debris in HNO3. J Nucl Sci Technol 51:996–1005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nirdosh I (1999) Leaching of uranium and 226Ra from low level radioactive waste from post hope, Ontario. Can J Chem Eng 77:508–514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Raman VA, Shah D, Thakur UK, Mahajan MA, Naronha DM, Chander K, Sawant RM, Ramakumar KL (2005) Recovery of major amount of plutonium from analytical solid waste by preferential dissolution of uranium and separation of americium by alkaline peroxide precipitation method. In: Proceedings of DAE-BRNS symposium on nuclear and radiochemistry (NUCAR 2005), Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai, pp 155–156

  14. Micahel KM, Janardanan C, Kumaraguru K, Rakshe PR, Rathinam M, Dharampurkar GR, Thite BS, Gupta KK, Chaudhari SD, Sinalkar N, Lokhande M, Ajithlal RT, Vijayan K, Jambunthan U, Munshi SK, Dey PK, Jain GC (2004) Proceedings of DAE-BRNS theme meeting on emerging trends in separation science and technology (SESTEC), Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai, pp 154–155

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. C. Adya.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Adya, V.C., Mohapatra, M., Pathak, N. et al. Separation of uranium from solid (U, Pu, Ag) oxide analytical waste: effect of batch size and nitric acid molarity. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308, 341–345 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4711-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-016-4711-y

Keywords

Navigation