SYNERGISTIC EXTRACTION BEHAVIOR OF AMERICIUM FROM SIMULATED ACIDIC WASTE SOLUTIONS

The extraction behaviour of americium has been investigated with mixtu res of 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone (PBI) and oxodonors viz. tri-n -butyl phosphate (TBP), tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) and di-n-bu tyl octananide (DBOA) using dodecane as the diluent from 1-6 M HNO3 me dia. It is observed that D-Am remains unaltered with PBI concentration tin the range 0.06-0.1 M) at 1.47 M TBP in the entire range of HNO3 c oncentration. PBI and TBP in combination appears more promising compar ed to other synergistic systems. The possibility of using this mixture for americium removal from high level liquid waste solution has been explored. Extraction studies indicated that prior removal of uranium b y 20% TBP in dodecane is helpful in the quantitative recovery of ameri cium in three contacts. Effect of lanthanides on D-Am is found to be m arginal.