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U and Pu separation with U/TEVA resin: Influence of some parameters on chromatographic cycle performances

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Abstract

Due to unexpected Pu behavior using the U/TEVA resin and the most-recognized reagents, some key separation stages need to be studied for the U–Pu separation: Pu valency adjustment, Pu elution solution composition, resin loading rate and Pu elution solution stability over time. The new Pu elution solution developped in the study, composed of 3 × 10–3 mol L−1 ascorbic acid / 3 × 10–3 mol L−1 sulfamic acid / 2 mol L−1 HNO3, helps obtaining a more robust method: recovery yields over 80% and decontamination factor up to 2 × 104. The best separation performances were obtained when the new Pu elution solution was freshly prepared, the resin loading rate did not exceed 30% and with a waiting time for the valency adjustment between the addition of H2O2 and the start of the chromatographic cycle set at 42 h regardless the Pu quantity involved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DES, DMRC, CEA, Univ Montpellier, Marcoule, France

    Christophe Maillard, Olivier Boulay, Victor Savigny & Alexandre Quemet

  2. Military Applications Division, Alpha Material Department, CEA, 21120, Is-sur-Tille Cedex, France

    Didier Maloubier

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  1. Christophe Maillard
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  2. Didier Maloubier
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  3. Olivier Boulay
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  5. Alexandre Quemet
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Correspondence to Christophe Maillard or Didier Maloubier.

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Maillard, C., Maloubier, D., Boulay, O. et al. U and Pu separation with U/TEVA resin: Influence of some parameters on chromatographic cycle performances. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 330, 579–587 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07986-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07986-4

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