Abstract
We have been developing a new partitioning method of high-level radioactive waste by the single-cycle extraction process. This process is composed of the extraction of actinides (An) and fission products (FP, e.g., Pd, Ru, Mo and Tc), and mutual separation by reverse extraction. The extractant employed in this process is required to extract soft, hard acid metals and oxonium anions simultaneously. The NTAamide (N,N,N’,N’,N’’,N’’-hexaoctyl-nitrilotriacetamide) is one of the candidate extractants. After the extraction of An and FP, the mutual separation by reverse-extraction should be set up. Distribution ratios of Pd and Ru, which are obtained by NTAamide extraction, can be suppressed by masking agents, thiourea, systeine, diethylenetriamine, and trisaminoethylamine. The masking of Mo can be performed using methylimino-N,N’-diethylacetamide (MIDEA), NTAamide(C2) and iminodimethylphosphoric acid, and Re can be stripped using an aqueous phase with high pH. The information on extraction and masking for these metals will be utilized in the development of the single-cycle process.
