Speciation of Select f-Elements with Lipophilic Phosphorus Acids and Diglycol Amides in the ALSEP Backward-Extraction Regime

The complexation of HDEHP, HEH[EHP], T2EHDGA, and TODGA and mixtures thereof in n-dodecane with Nd(III), Pm(III), and Am(III), extracted from pH 3 aqueous media, were analyzed by distribution analysis, IR, UV–vis, and X-ray spectroscopies. Appreciable ternary complex formation is seen among HDEHP with DGA components and to a lesser extent with HEH[EHP]. Ternary complex formation constants were determined by absorption spectroscopy and slope analysis. The effect of the adduct formation on the process performance and on the Ln/An selectivity is discussed. It has been shown that the ternary complexes have the tendency to extract larger trivalent cations as Am and Nd over Eu, thus diminishing the overall Ln/Am selectivity of the process. Also, previously unreported extraction constants were derived for HEH[EHP] with Am and Pm as well as coordination information for Nd-HEH[EHP] and Nd-T2EHDGA complexes.