EXTRACTION BEHAVIOR OF URANIUM(VI), PLUTONIUM(IV) AND SOME FISSION-PRODUCTS WITH GAMMA-PRE-IRRADIATED N-DODECANE SOLUTIONS OF N,N'-DIHEXYL SUBSTITUTED AMIDES

The extraction behavior of uranium(VI), plutonium(IV) and some fission products like zirconium(IV), ruthenium(III) and europium(III) from 3. 5M nitric acid with gamma-irradiated organic phase pre-equilibrated,I- dodecane solutions of dihexyl derivatives of hexanamide (DHHA). octana mide (DHOA) and decanamide (DHDA) has been investigated as a function of absorbed dose upto 184 . 10(4) Gy. file results indicate that the e xtraction of uranium(VI) decreases gradually with dose upto 72 . 10(4) Gy and becomes almost constant thereafter, while, the extraction of p lutonium(IV) decreases upto a dose of 20 . 10(4) Gy and then increases rapidly up to a dose of 82 . 10(4) Gy indicating synergistic effects of radiolytic products formed at higher doses. Extraction of zirconium (IV) increases gradually upto a dose of 72 . 10(4) Gy. Europium(III) d oes not get extracted with any of these amides in the entire dose rang e (0-184 . 10(4) Gy) studied, however, ruthenium shows insignificant i ncrease in extraction with dose. The decrease in D values noticed in t he case of plutonium and zirconium after the dose of 72 . 10(4) Gy whi ch was attributed to the third phase formation and emulsification. Inf rared studies confirm the final products of radiolysis as the respecti ve amines and carboxylic acids. The degraded amide contents have been estimated by quantitative IR spectrophotometric technique. Extraction data obtained For uranium(VI) and plutonium(IV) with TBP/n-dodecane sy stem have also been compared under similar experimental conditions.