Determination of neptunium using controlled potential coulometry

A method for controlled potential coulometric determination of neptunium by titration with internally electrolytically generated iron(II) has been developed. The method involves oxidation of Np to Np(VI) by Ce(IV), destruction of excess of Ce(IV) by NaNO₂ followed by determination of neptunium by reduction of Np(VI) to Np(IV) by internal generation of Fe(II). The method was employed for various neptunium solution samples and a precision of ±0.25% at 2–5 mg level of neptunium was obtained.     

Dosage spectrophotometrique du neptunium

(Spectrophotometric determination of neptunium.) Use of the absorption peak of the NpO⁺₂ ion at 981 nm is discussed. Quantitative conversion to Np(V) requires oxidation of Np(IV) by Ce(IV), reduction of Np(VI) and excess of Ce(IV) with hydrazinium nitrate, and destruction of excess of hydrazine by nitrite. The measurable concentration range in the cuvette is 2–1000 mg l^-1 and the precision is± 1% in the higher range. Uranium and plutonium at ratios Me/Np ? 10^-3 do not interfere.     

Determination of neptunium by redox titration

A simple and quick method for the potentiometric determination of neptunium on the 2-5 mg scale has been developed. It consists of oxidation to Np(VI) by AgO or fuming with HClO(4), destruction of excess of AgO by sulphamic acid, reduction of Np(VI) to Np(IV) with a slight excess of standard Fe(II) in 2M H(2)SO(4) and potentiometric titration of the excess of Fe(II) with standard Ce(IV). The precision is +/-0.5%.     

The role of oxidizing radicals in neptunium speciation in γ-irradiated nitric acid

The irradiation of aqueous nitric acid solutions generates transient, reactive species that are known to oxidize neptunium. However, nitrous acid is also a long-lived product of nitric acid irradiation, which reduces neptunium. When we irradiated nitric acid solutions of neptunium and measured its speciation by UV/Vis spectroscopy, we found that at short irradiation times, oxidation of Np(V) to Np(VI) occurred due to reactions with radicals such as ^?OH, ^?NO₃ and ^?NO₂. However, at higher absorbed doses and after a sufficient amount of nitrous acid was produced, reduction of Np(VI) to Np(V) began to occur, eventually reaching an equilibrium distribution of these species depending on nitric acid concentration. Neptunium(IV) was not produced.     

Reduction of Np(VI) in Irradiated Solutions of Nitric Acid

The reliable separation of neptunium from dissolved nuclear fuel assumes the ability to maintain a preferred oxidation state. However, regardless of its initial redox speciation, a series of reactions occurs in nitric acid to create a mixture of oxidation states including Np(V), Np(VI) and sometimes Np(IV). To further complicate the situation, irradiated solutions such as fuel dissolution contain both transient and long-lived radiolysis products which may be strongly oxidizing or reducing. Thus, irradiation may be expected to impact the equilibrium distributions of the various neptunium valences.We have irradiated nitric acid solutions of neptunium with ⁶⁰Co gamma-rays, and measured radiolytically-induced changes in neptunium valences, as well as the nitrous acid concentration, by UV/Vis spectroscopy. It was found that in 4 M HNO3 at low absorbed doses, the oxidizing radicals oxidized Np(V) to Np(VI). However, as the irradiation proceeded the concentration of nitrous acid became sufficient to reduce Np(VI) to Np(V), and then continued irradiation favored this reduction until an equilibrium was achieved in balance with the oxidation of Np(V) by nitric acid itself. The starting abundances of the two neptunium valences did not affect the final equilibrium concentrations of Np(V) and Np(VI), and no Np(IV) was detected.     

Determination of neptunium in a reprocessing plant by an on-line solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

In this study, a flow-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of neptunium in the presence of Pu(IV). Np(V) in the sample solution was completely oxidized to Np(VI) via electrolysis using a column electrode composed of carbon fibers. The column electrode effluent was then loaded onto a TEVA^® column, and subsequently onto a UTEVA^® column using 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Pu(IV) was retained on the TEVA column and separated from Np(VI), while Np(VI) was retained on the UTEVA column. Np(VI) was eluted from the UTEVA column with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and then introduced directly into a flow-through electrolysis cell. An electrochemical amperometric method with a working potential of +0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was used to detect Np(VI). The current produced due to the reduction of Np(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded, and the Np concentration was calculated from the peak area. The relative standard deviation of 10 analyses was 2.4 % for an Np solution (0.50 mg L^?1) containing 1.0 μg Np. The detection limit, which was determined to be three times the standard deviation, was 35 μg L^?1 (70 ng Np).     

Interaction of Aluminium (III) with the f-Family Ions Np(VI), Pu(VI), Np(V), Np(IV), Pu(IV), Nd(III), and Am(III) in the Course of Simultaneous Hydrolysis

The interaction of Np(VI), Pu(VI), Np(V), Np(IV), Pu(IV), Nd(III), and Am(III) with Al(III) in solutions at pH 0–4 was studied by the spectrophotometric method. It was shown that, in the range of pH 3–4, the hydrolyzed forms of neptunyl and plutonyl react with the hydrolyzed forms of aluminium. In the case of Pu(VI), the mixed hydroxoaqua complexes (H₂O)₃PuO₂(-OH)₂Al(OH)(H₂O)₃ ²⁺ or (H₂O)₄PuO₂OAl(OH)(H₂O)₄ ²⁺ are formed at the first stage of hydrolysis. Np(VI) also forms similar hydroxoaqua complexes with Al(III). The formation of the mixed hydroxoaqua complexes was also observed when Np(IV) or Pu(IV) was simultaneously hydrolyzed with Al(III) at pH 1.5–2.5. The Np(IV) complex with Al(III) has, most likely, the formula (H₂O) _n (OH)Np(-OH)₂Al(OH)(H₂O)₃ ³⁺. At pH from 2 to 4.1 (when aluminium hydroxide precipitates), the Np(V) or Nd(III) ions exist in solutions with or without Al(III) in similar forms. When pH is increased to 5–5.5, these ions are almost not captured by the aluminium hydroxide precipitate.     

Reaction of neptunyl ions with mycobactin S in nonaqueous medium

Addition of solutions of mycobactin S in acetone or methanol/acetone mixtures to solutions of NpO ₂ ²⁺ in the same solvent leads to the immediate reduction of neptunium/VI/ to neptunium/V/. Np/V/ interacts with the ionophore to form a yellow complex with a cation: ligand ratio of 21. The course of these reactions is followed by measurement of changes in characteristic optical absorption and by spectrophotometric titration within the range 700–1350 nm.     

Interaction of neptunyl with goethite (α-FeOOH), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), and hematite (α-Fe2O3) in water as probed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The sorption behavior is studied and the physicochemical neptunium species existing on the surface of goethite (α-FeOOH), maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃), and hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) are determined. Solvent extraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to determine the neptunium surface species. The ion and elemental composition of the surface of the minerals and surface neptunyl NpO ₂ ⁺ complexes is determined using these data. Compounds containing neptunium(IV) or neptunium(VI) ions do not appear; rather, neptunyl (Np(V)O ₂ ⁺ group is complexed with surface hydroxide groups of α-FeOOH, γ-Fe₂O₃, and α-Fe₂O₃. Presumably, the oxygen atoms of iron oxides and water and/or carbonate (CO ₃ ^2- ) or nitrate (NO ₃ ^- ) group lie in the equatorial plane of the neptunyl (NpO ₂ ⁺ ) group.     

Hydroxylamine Derivative in Purex Process III. The Kinetics of Oxidation-reduction Reaction Between N,N-diethylhydroxylamine and Neptunium(VI)

The kinetics of oxidation-reduction reaction between N,N-diethylhydroxylamine (DEHAN) and neptunium (VI) in nitric acid media has been studied by spectrophotometry at 25.2 °C. The rate equation is -d[Np(VI)/dt=k[Np(VI)][DEHAN]/[H⁺] found by investigating the influence of concentration, acidity, ionic strength and temperature on the reaction. The rate constant of the reaction k is 23.0±1.8 min^–1 for = 2.0 mol/l. A possible mechanism of reaction has been suggested according to the ESR spectra of nitroxide radical produced in the DEHAN+V(V) system.     

Das Ionenaustauschverhalten von Neptunium in salpetersauren Lösungen

Zusammenfassung Das Verteilungsverhalten von²³⁷Np–²³⁹Np zwischen salpetersauren Lösungen verschiedener Konzentration und einem Anionenaustauscher (Dowex 1X8) wurde untersucht. Durch Reduktion mit Fe²⁺+Hydrazin konnte quantitativ das Np(IV) hergestellt und dessen Verteilungskoeffizient (D) in 1n-10n-HNO₃ bestimmt werden. Mit Hydrazin allein und bei Lösungen ohne Reduktionsmittel wurden stark schwankendeD-Werte gefunden, die auf unterschiedliche Prozentsätze an Np(IV), Np(V) und Np(VI) zurückzuführen waren. Durch die Bestimmung der Anteile der einzelnen Oxidationsstufen konnten jedoch die jeweiligenD-Werte [D(IV),D(V),D(VI)] berechnet werden. Die mit dieser Methode erhaltenen Werte stimmten gut mit den Daten überein, die an Systemen gewonnen wurden, in denen jeweils nur eine Neptuniumoxidations-stufe vorlag.

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The ion exchange behaviour of neptunium in nitric acid solutions

The distribution of²³⁷Np–²³⁹Np between nitric acid solutions of different concentration and an anion exchanger (Dowex 1X8) was investigated. By reduction with Fe²⁺+hydrazine, the Np(IV) was obtained quantitatively and its distribution coefficients (D) in 1n to 10n-HNO₃ were determined. With hydrazine alone and without any reduction media, strongly varyingD-values were found. This was due to different amounts of Np(IV), Np(V), and Np(VI) in the solutions. By determining the fractions of the individual oxidation states the correspondingD-values [D(IV),D(V), andD(VI)] could be calculated. The data obtained by this method agreed well with theD-values resulting from determinations of systems, in which the individual Np-oxidation state was the only component of the corresponding solution.

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Mit 4 Abbildungen

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Herrn Prof. Dr.Hans Nowotny gewidmet.     

Determination of237Np in urine by reversed-phase partition chromatography

A sensitive, rapid and selective method for the determination of²³⁷Np in urine is described. Neptunium(IV) is isolated by batch-extraction with a slurry of Microthene-710 (microporous polyethylene) supporting a cyclohexane solution of tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, the slurry is transferred into a column and neptunium eluted by oxidation to Np(V) with a mixture of HCl+Cl₂. After electroplating on a stainless steel disc, neptunium is counted with a solid-state alpha-detector. The final recovery is 83.2%; the decontamination factors are sufficiently high and the sensitivity limit is suitable for radiotoxicological purposes.     

Oxidation State of Neptunium and Plutonium and Their Leaching from Sodium–Aluminum–(Iron) Phosphate Glasses

The oxidation states of neptunium and plutonium in doped sodium–aluminum–(iron) phosphate glasses have been determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Neptunium is present in the form of Np(IV) as Np⁴⁺ and, in smaller amounts, in the form of Np(V) as neptunyl ions. Plutonium is present mainly in the form of Pu(IV) and additionally Pu(III). The most easily water-leachable element is neptunium, which is attributed to its existence in the mobile form of neptunyl (NpO₂)⁺. The leaching rates of plutonium and impurity americium are approximately two orders of magnitude lower.     

Sensitive redox speciation of neptunium by CE–ICP–MS

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used to separate the neptunium oxidation states Np(IV) and Np(V), which are the only oxidation states of Np that are stable under environmental conditions. The CE setup was coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (Agilent 7500ce) using a Mira Mist CE nebulizer and a Scott-type spray chamber. The combination of the separation capacity of CE with the detection sensitivity of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) allows identification and quantification of Np(IV) and Np(V) at the trace levels expected in the far field of a nuclear waste repository. Limits of detection of 1?×?10^-9 and 5?×?10^-10 mol L^-1 for Np(IV) and Np(V), respectively, were achieved, with a linear range from 10^-9 to 10^-6 mol L^-1. The method was applied to study the redox speciation of the Np remaining in solution after interaction of 5?×?10^-7 mol L^-1 Np(V) with Opalinus Clay. Under mildly oxidizing conditions, a Np sorption of 31% was found, with all the Np remaining in solution being Np(V). A second sorption experiment performed in the presence of Fe²⁺ led to complete sorption of the Np onto the clay. After desorption with HClO₄, a mixture of Np(IV) and Np(V) was found in solution by CE–ICP–MS, indicating that some of the sorbed Np had been reduced to Np(IV) by Fe²⁺.     

The complex reaction kinetics of neptunium including redox and extraction process in 30% TBP—nitric acid system

In order to understand the complex and dynamic neptunium process chemistry in the TBP-HNO₃ system, the kinetics involved reversible redox reaction and extraction mass transfer was investigated. The results indicates that the mass transfer rate of Np(VI) is much faster than the redox reaction in aqueous solution. The concentrations of nitric acid and nitrous acid not only can change the Np(V) oxidation reaction and Np(VI) reduction reaction rate, but also can ultimately determine the distribution of neptunium extraction equilibrium. The variety of temperature can only influence the extraction equilibrium time, but cannot alter the equilibrium state of neptunium.     

Oxidation State and Extraction of Neptunium with TBP

The change of Np oxidation state in nitric acid and the effect of nitrous acid on the oxidation state were analyzed by spectrophotometry, solvent extraction, and electrochemical methods. The Np extraction with 30 vol.% TBP was enhanced by the adjustment of the Np oxidation state using a glassy carbon fiber column electrode system. The knowledge of electrolytic behavior of nitric acid was important because the nitrous acid affecting the Np redox reaction was generated during the adjustment of the Np oxidation state. The Np solution used in this work consisted of Np(V) and Np(VI) but no Np(IV). The ratio of Np(V) in the range of 0.5M5.5 M nitric acid was 32%19%. The electrolytic oxidation of Np(V) to Np(VI) in the solution enhanced the Np extraction efficiency about five times higher than without electrolytic oxidation. It was confirmed that the nitrous acid in a concentration of less than about 10^–5 M acted as a catalyst to accelerate the chemical oxidation reaction of Np(V) to Np(VI).     

Étude des réactions d'oxydo—réduction du neptunium dans le mélange Rbcl—CsCl (25–75% mol)

The oxidation—reduction reactions o f neptunium in molten RbCl—CsCl.Standard potentials of the systems NpO₂(VI)—NpO₂(V) and Np(IV)—Np(III) and the equilibrium constant of the following disproportionation reaction 2NP⁴⁺ + 2H₂O + 2Cl^- ? NpO⁺₂ + Np³⁺+ 4HCI have been determined in a (Rb 0,25; Cs 0,75 )C1 melt in the temperature range 660—750°C by absorption spectrophotometry. The results are com- pared with those obtained previously in (Li 0,7; K 0,3)C1, (Li, K)C1 eutectic and (Li 0,55; CsO,45)Cl.     

Extractive separation and photometric determination of neptunium(IV) and plutonium(IV) from their mixtures

A rapid and sensitive method for the photometric determination of trace amounts of neptunium and plutonium from their mixtures is described. Np(IV) is selectively extracted from about 1 M HNO₃ medium with TTA in xylene retaining Pu in the nonextractable trivalent state in the aq. phase with ferrous sulfamate. Plutonium in the aqueous phase is subsequently oxidized with NaNO₂ to the highly extractable tetravalent state and extracted with TTA. Np(IV) as well as Pu(IV) thus extracted are finally estimated in the organic phase itself spectrophotometrically employing xylenol orange as the chromogenic reagent. Their molar absorptivities are in the 5 × 10⁴ range. Beer's law is valid up to 2.4 ppm Np and 3.5 ppm Pu. The color of the solutions is stable for at least 48 hr. The method tolerates large excess of several common contaminants encountered during spent fuel reprocessing. Cerium(IV) and phosphoric acid, however, interfere with the final estimation.     

Critical role of water content in the formation and reactivity of uranium, neptunium, and plutonium iodates under hydrothermal conditions: implications for the oxidative dissolution of spent nuclear fuel

The reactions of 237NpO2 with excess iodate under acidic hydrothermal conditions result in the isolation of the neptunium(IV), neptunium(V), and neptunium(VI) iodates, Np(IO3)4, Np(IO3)4.nH2O.nHIO3, NpO2(IO3), NpO2(IO3)2(H2O), and NpO2(IO3)2.H2O, depending on both the pH and the amount of water present in the reactions. Reactions with less water and lower pH favor reduced products. Although the initial redox processes involved in the reactions between 237NpO2 or 242PuO2 and iodate are similar, the low solubility of Pu(IO3)4 dominates product formation in plutonium iodate reactions to a much greater extent than does Np(IO3)4 in the neptunium iodate system. UO2 reacts with iodate under these conditions to yield uranium(VI) iodates solely. The isotypic structures of the actinide(IV) iodates, An(IO3)4 (An=Np, Pu), are reported and consist of one-dimensional chains of dodecahedral An(IV) cations bridged by iodate anions. The structure of Np(IO3)4.nH2O.nHIO3 is constructed from NpO9 tricapped-trigonal prisms that are bridged by iodate into a polar three-dimensional framework structure. Second-harmonic-generation measurements on a polycrystalline sample of the Th analogue of Np(IO3)4.nH2O.nHIO3 reveal a response of approximately 12x that of alpha-SiO2. Single-crystal magnetic susceptibility measurements of Np(IO3)4 show magnetically isolated Np(IV) ions.     

Neptunium distribution in a high acid first cycle Purex Process

This work deals with the extraction behavior of neptunium in a high acid Purex Process. The composition of PWR fuel type with 3.2% enrichment, 500 MWd/t burn-up and 100 d cooling time was considered. Two consecutive cold runs were performed in a mock-up facility at IPEN-CNEN/SP with simulated feed solutions containing: 3M HNO₃; 1M U; 455 g²³⁷Np labeled with²³⁹Np; 15 mg Zr l^–1, 12 mg Ce l^–1, 7 mg Ru l^–1 and 13 mg Mo l^–1 traced with active isotopes⁹⁵Zr,¹⁴¹Ce,¹⁰³Ru and⁹⁹Mo as FP. A 30 vol% TBP/n-dodecane was used as solvent. Countercurrent experiments were carried out using two 16 stages plexiglass mixer-settlers, at 25°C, during 21 h continuous operation, with O/A ratio of 2 in the extraction section and 9 and 13 in the 1st and 2nd scrubbing sections, respectively. For a 65% organic loading, ca. 77% of neptunium remains in the waste stream, without any Np valence adjustment.