Radiation Damage of Organic Extractant in Partitioning of High-Level Liquid Waste, (I)

Radiolysis of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric Acid by Irradiation with Cobalt-60 Gamma-Rays

Abstract

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (DEHPA), which is a useful extractant for the treatment of high-level liquid waste, was exposed to ⁶⁰Co γ-rays and the radiolysis prod-ucts and their yields were determined.
The major radiolytic decomposition process of DEHPA was found to be a stepwise splitting of two alkyl groups resulting in MEHPA and H₃PO₄. 1-Methyl-1-ethylpentyl radical, C₄H_9-C(CH₃)-C₂H₅, was found to form with a large G value in the γ-irradiated DEHPA. Reactions involving 1-methyl-1-ethylpentyl radical were also discussed.