DEGRADATION OF PUREX-RELEVANT TRIALKYLPHOSPHATE COMPLEXES OF U, TH, CE, AND ZR

The formation of difficultly soluble dialkylphosphates, which - as it is well known - are also able to accumulate as crud by precipitation o f Zr(IV) or Pu(IV) with dibutylphosphate, can offer problems at the re covery of nuclear fuels, during the purification of crystalline trialk ylphosphate-complexes with some of the relevant isotopes, such as of U , Th, Ce and Zr. As those reactions can be already observed at ambient temperature and under exclusion of all radiolytic effects, and since explosive alkylnitrate is being formed during those degradations, conc lusions are discussed concerning the technical procedure of the purex process to prevent any influences of possible damages to environment d uring the recovery.