USE OF VARIOUS EXTRACTANTS TO ISOLATE AND PURIFY ACTINIDES IN ALKALINE OXALATE SOLUTIONS

Extraction of Am(III), Cm(III), Eu(III), Fe(III), Pu(IV), and Th(IV) f rom alkaline oxalate solutions using solutions of tertiary amines (TOA ), quaternary ammonium cations (aliquat-336), and beta-diketones (PMBP ) in various organic solvents is studied. The effects of oxalate conce ntration, solution alkalinity, and phase-contact time on the completen ess of extraction are found. It is established that Am(III), Cm(III), Th(IV), and Pu(IV) can be separated from Fe(III) in 0. 3 M oxalate sol ution in the pH range 4-7 (beta(Fe(III)/Me) = 2.5 . 10(3)) using 0.5 M TOAOH. The system PMBP in MI BK-oxalates was promising for separating tri- and tetravalent actinides [the separation factor of Am(III) and Cm(III) from Pu (IV) is 1.3.10(2)/.