EXTRACTION BEHAVIOR OF URANIUM(VI), PLUTONIUM(IV), ZIRCONIUM(IV), RUTHENIUM(III) AND EUROPIUM(III) WITH GAMMA-PRE-IRRADIATED SOLUTIONS OF N,N'-METHYLBUTYL SUBSTITUTED AMIDES IN N-DODECANE

The extraction of plutonium(IV), uranium(VI), zirconium(IV), europium( III) and ruthenium(III) with gamma-pre-irradiated n-dodecane solutions of methylbutyl substituted hexanamide (MBHA), octanamide (MBOA) and d ecanamide (MBDA) from 3.5M HNO3 has been studied as a function of abso rbed dose up to 184 x 10(4) Gray. The distribution ratios (Kd) of uran ium(VI) decreased gradually up to a dose of 50 x 10(4) Gray and became almost constant thereafter, while ruthenium(III) and europium(III) we re not extracted in the entire dose range studied. The K-d values of P u(IV) decreased gradually up to 10 x 10(4) Gray, for MBOA, and 30 x 10 (4) Gray for MBHA and MBDA and then increased up to a dose of 72 x 10( 4) Gray, indicating the synergistic effect of radiolytic products at h igher doses. The extraction of zirconium(IV) was found to increase gra dually up to 72 x 10(4) Gray. However, the steep fall in Kd values of plutonium(IV), zirconium(IV) beyond a dose of 72 x 10(4) Gray was attr ibuted to third phase formation. The radiolytic degradation of amides was monitored by quantitative IR spectroscopy and was found to follow the order MBOA > MBDA > MBHA at 184 x 10(4) Gray having the amines and carboxylic acids as the main radiolytic products.