Team Leader Yasutoshi Ban of the Nuclear Power Infrastructure and Technology Development Group at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), and his colleagues have separated approximately 0.3 grams of minor actinides from 2.2 liters of high-level radioactive liquid waste using extractants that can be incinerated for disposal, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of the process developed. While research on minor actinide separation is being conducted in various countries, there have been few examples of separating such quantities. The results were published in Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology.
The treatment of high-level radioactive liquid waste generated during spent fuel reprocessing is an extremely important issue. However, since this waste contains various useful elements, it is also expected to be utilized as an urban mine.
JAEA is working toward the practical application of the SELECT (Solvent Extraction from Liquid-waste using Extractants of CHON-type for Transmutation) process, which employs solvent extraction methods. The successful extraction of large quantities of minor actinides using extractants composed only of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, which can be incinerated after use, represents a significant step forward. Ban stated, "We aim to establish the technology for separating valuable elements by 2032."
Provided by JAEA
(Right) Hexaoctyl nitrilotriacetamide extractant
Provided by JAEA
Journal Information
Publication: Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology
Title: Recovery of Minor Actinides from High-Level Liquid Waste by N,N,N',N',N'',N''-Hexaoctyl Nitrilotriacetamide (HONTA) using Mixer-Settler Extractors
DOI: 10.15669/pnst.8.243
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