Uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separation by the Purex process using hydroxyurea

Hydroxyurea dissolved in nitric acid can strip plutonium and neptunium from tri-butyl phosphate efficiently and has little influence on the uranium distribution between the two phases. Simulating the 1B contactor of the Purex process by hydroxyurea with nitric acid solution as a stripping agent, the separation factors of uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium can reach values as high as 4.7·10⁴ and 260, respectively. This indicates that hydroxyurea is a promising salt free agent for uranium/plutonium and uranium/neptunium separations.