RECOVERY OF PLUTONIUM FROM ASSORTED LABORATORY WASTES

Almost quantitative recovery of plutonium from assorted non-recoverabl e aqueous acidic and organic waste solutions originating from solvent extraction studies and synthesis of solid plutonium compounds has been achieved by using combined solvent extraction and extraction chromato graphic techniques. During solvent extraction a mixture of 0.2M CMPO 1.2M TBP in dodecane was used as the extractant while in extraction c hromatography a small column of CMPO adsorbed on Chromosorb-102 (CAC) was utilised. The activities could finally be recovered from the loade d organic phase as well as the CAC column. The effluent after the comb ined operation was almost alpha-free. About 3 g of plutonium was recov ered from about 19 litres of different wastes.