The solvent extraction of Am(VI) using centrifugal contactors

An engineering-scale centrifugal contactor test bed was built at Idaho National Laboratory to perform solvent extraction testing for the partitioning of hexavalent americium. The raffinate simulant feed was spiked with 243Am and 139Ce and treated with sodium bismuthate to oxidize americium to Am(VI), filtered and contacted with 1 M DAAP/dodecane using centrifugal contactors. Extraction efficiency comparable to batch contacts was obtained, indicating for the first time that Am(VI) can be maintained under process conditions. Contrary to expectations, stripping was not as effective as expected. However, this result may actually be advantageous to process design, since a scrub step, previously thought to be impossible due to rapid Am(VI) reduction, may now be considered for future flowsheet tests.