SEPARATION OF THORIUM, URANIUM AND PLUTONIUM BY NEUTRAL AND BASIC ORGANIC EXTRACTANTS

Separation of thorium, uranium and plutonium by basic tertiary amine, Alamine-336 and neutral organophosphoric extractant tri-n-octylphosphinoxide in xylene and cyclohexane solutions has been investigated. According to results obtained, Alamine-336 was chosen for the extraction of atmospheric precipitation samples. Separation process with tri-n-octylphosphinoxide based extraction can lead to higher chemical yields, but according to our results reproducibility is worse due to incomplete back-extraction of elements from organic phase. Analysis of simulated 1001 sample concentrate has shown significant effect of Ca2+, Fe3+ and Mn2+ ions concentration.