Reducing Pu(IV) to Pu(III) with hydroxylamine in nitric acid solutions

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has evaluated different techniques to concentrate and remove plutonium from solutions stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). Pu(III) oxalate precipitation was chosen to treat nitric acid solutions because it is a simple and efficient technique for removing plutonium. Reducing Pu(IV) to Pu(III) is a key process step which affects the rest of the processing sequence. Because of differences in the literature¹ over the kinetics of the reaction, additional data was obtained and compared with existing data to examine the kinetic relationship, and determine an appropriate relationship for future engineering evaluations. The results and conclusions of this work, along with new experimental data, are presented.     

Thermal decomposition of Np(IV) and Pu(III, IV) oxalates

Thermal decomposition of Pu(C₂O₄)₂·6H₂O, Pu₂(C₂O₄)₃·10H₂O and Np(C₂O₄)₂ ·6H₂O has been studied by using combination of gas chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, spectrophotometry and complex thermal analysis. We also investigated the decomposition of Pu oxalate under its -radiation. The reduction of Pu(IV) to Pu(III) has been confirmed. We found Np(V), which is formed from Np(IV), on the basis of infrared and absorption spectra of the intermediate compounds.     

The autoradiolytic decomposition of Pu(IV)-oxalate

Summary The autoradiolytic decomposition of Pu(C₂O₄)₂ · 6H₂O has been studied by gravimetric as well as spectroscopic methods for compounds of ²³⁸Pu and ²³⁹Pu. Irrespective of the specific activity, all oxalates investigated are decomposed to PuOCO₃ which appears to be a final product and remains stable even after ten years of storage.

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Über die autoradiolytische Zersetzung von Pu(IV)-Oxalat

Zusammenfassung Die autoradiolytische Zersetzung von Pu(C₂O₄)₂ · 6 H₂O wurde gravimetrisch sowie mit spektroskopischen Methoden für die Verbindungen von ²³⁸Pu und ²³⁹Pu untersucht. Unabhängig von der spezifischen Aktivität zersetzen sich alle untersuchten Oxalate zu PuOCO₃, welches das Endprodukt darstellt und sogar nach zehn Jahren Lagerung stabil bleibt.

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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. K. H. Lieser on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Direct spectrophotometric analysis of low level Pu(III) in Pu(IV) nitrate of Pu precipitation process feed solution

To achieve end user’s specified PuO₂, controlling and monitoring of Pu in its fourth valency state is essential prior to the conversion of Pu-nitrate to its oxide through oxalate precipitation process. Conventional radiometric procedure for the analysis of Pu oxidation state in Pu-nitrate solution containing trace level of Pu(III) has limitation due to oxidation of Pu(III) during the sample preparation with respect to acidity. A simple direct spectrophotometry using an optic fiber spectrophotometer was attempted for the estimation of trace level of Pu(III), after separating the bulk amount of Pu(IV) by maintaining the sample acidity. By using a synergistic mixture of 30 % TBP and 1 M theonyl trifluoro acetone in benzene, the Pu(IV) could be removed to a level which doesn’t interfere in the Pu(III) absorption.     

Electrochemical and spectroscopic studies of Pu(IV) and Pu(III) in nitric acid solutions

Electrochemical and absorption spectroscopic properties of Pu(IV) and Pu(III) in nitric acid have been investigated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV–Visible spectroscopy. CV using a glassy carbon electrode suggested that the electrochemical reaction of Pu(IV) nitrate complexes were found to be a quasi-reversible reduction to Pu(III) species. The formal redox potentials (E ⁰) for Pu(IV)/Pu(III) couples were +0.721, +0.712, +0.706, +0.705, +0.704, 0.694, and +0.696 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) when nitric acid concentrations are 1–7 M nitric acid solutions, respectively. These results indicate that the reduction product of Pu(IV) is only Pu(III). Further details for reaction mechanism of Pu(IV) were discussed on the basis of digital simulation of the experimental cyclic voltammograms. The absorption spectroscopic properties of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) in nitric acid solutions were investigated with UV–Visible spectrophotometry. As a result, it was founds that the intensities of the characteristic absorption peaks of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) tend to decrease with increasing nitric acid concentration for 1–8 M, and the peaks positions shifted longer or shorter wavelengths depending on the complex-forming abilities of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) with an increase in the nitric acid concentration.     

Sorption of Pu(IV) on biogenic Mn oxide and complexation of Pu(IV) with organic ligands secreted by fungal cells

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - We investigated the sorption of Pu(IV) on biogenic Mn oxide, composed of Mn(IV) oxide and hyphae, produced by Mn(II)-oxidizing fungus. The...     

XAFS and LIBD investigation of the formation and structure of colloidal Pu(IV) hydrolysis products

Pu(IV) oxyhydroxide colloid growth is investigated with XAFS and LIBD. From combined results a model of colloid formation is proposed, which leads to a face-centered cubic Pu sublattice having cation defects, as observed with EXAFS, and a linear dependency of log [Pu(IV)] on -log [H+] with slope -2, in accord with LIBD. The solubility for Pu(IV) measured with LIBD is close to the lower limit of the solubility curve from previously reported data.     

Complexation of Pu(IV) with the natural siderophore desferrioxamine B and the redox properties of Pu(IV)(siderophore) complexes

The bioavailability and mobility of Pu species can be profoundly affected by siderophores and other oxygen-rich organic ligands. Pu(IV)(siderophore) complexes are generally soluble and may constitute with other soluble organo-Pu(IV) complexes the main fraction of soluble Pu(IV) in the environment. In order to understand the impact of siderophores on the behavior of Pu species, it is important to characterize the formation and redox behavior of Pu(siderophore) complexes. In this work, desferrioxamine B (DFO-B) was investigated for its capacity to bind Pu(IV) as a model siderophore and the properties of the complexes formed were characterized by optical spectroscopy measurements. In a 1:1 Pu(IV)/DFO-B ratio, the complexes Pu(IV)(H2DFO-B)4+, Pu(IV)(H1DFO-B)3+, Pu(IV)(DFO-B)2+, and Pu(IV)(DFO-B)(OH)+ form with corresponding thermodynamic stability constants log beta1,1,2 = 35.48, log beta1,1,1 = 34.87, log beta1,1,0 = 33.98, and log beta1,1,-1 = 27.33, respectively. In the presence of excess DFO-B, the complex Pu(IV)H2(DFO-B)22+ forms with the formation constant log beta2,1,2 = 62.30. The redox potential of the complex Pu(IV)H2(DFO-B)22+ was determined by cyclic voltammetry to be E1/2 = -0.509 V, and the redox potential of the complex Pu(IV)(DFO-B)2+ was estimated to be E1/2 = -0.269 V. The redox properties of Pu(IV)(DFO-B)2+ complexes indicate that Pu(III)(siderophore) complexes are more than 20 orders of magnitude less stable than their Pu(IV) analogues. This indicates that under reducing conditions, stable Pu(siderophore) complexes are unlikely to persist.     

DFT study of the structure and stability of Pu(III) and Pu(IV) chloro complexes

The structural characteristics and energies of PuCl _n ^{(3 − n)+} and PuCl _n ^{(4 − n)+} complexes (n = 2–8) have been studied by the density functional theory (DFT) method in the SVWN5 local functional approximation.     

Solvent extraction of Np(IV) and Pu(IV) with mixtures of TOPO and HTTA

Solutions of HTTA are known to extract tetravalent actinides as M(TTA)₄ species. When TOPO is added to HTTA solutions, the extracting of Np(IV) and Pu(IV) from aqueous perchloric acid was enhanced enormously. The species responsible for the enhanced extraction were identified from the extraction data by the slope ratio method and JOB's method. It was found that the predominant species responsible for enhancement in the extraction, when [HTTA]≫[TOPO], was M(TTA)₄. TOPO for both Np(IV) and Pu(IV). Furthermore, it was established that depending on the relative concentrations of HTTA and TOPO, a number of species with the composition M(TTA)_a(ClO₄)_4-a·b TOPO, with a ranging from 1 to 4 and b having values of 1 or 2, are involved in the extraction. Several equilibrium constant values are given. Fuel Reprocessing Division.     

Extraction studies of Pu(IV) with octylphenyl acid phosphate

Octylphenyl acid phosphate, the commercially available mixture of monooctylphenylphosphoric acid (MOPPA) and dioctylphenylphosphoric acid (DOPPA) in xylene medium has been employed as an extractant for distribution studies on Pu(IV) in different mineral acids including phosphoric acid. It was found possible to extract Pu quantitatively from an acid mixture comprising 2.5M H₃PO₄, 0.75M H₂SO₄ and 0.5M HNO₃. Quantitative stripping was observed with a mixture of 0.25M oxalic acid and 0.2M ammonium oxalate.Parts of this work have been reported at symposie (Refs^1,2)     

Sorption of Pu(IV) on Aliquat-336 impregnated silica-gel

A new ion exchange material prepared by impregnating Aliquat-336 on silica-gel has been investigated for the recovery of plutonium from nitric-oxalic acid solutions. The distribution ratio of Pu(IV) was studied at various concentrations of nitric and oxalic acids. The presence of Al(III) and Fe(III) in the solution, enhances the uptake of Pu(IV). Pu(IV) breakthrough capacities (btc) have been determined using 2.5 ml bed of the ion exchange material column in the absence and the presence of Al(III) and Fe(III) nitrate. The elution behavior of Pu(IV) was also studied using nitric acid solutions containing reducing agents. More than 90% of plutonium could be recovered from nitric-oxalic acid solutions.     

Kinetics of Pu(IV) sorption by smectite-rich natural clay

Kinetics of sorption of Pu(IV) by smectite-rich clay has been studied at varying metal ion concentrations. Different concentrations were achieved using different isotopes of Pu, namely, ²³⁹Pu, ²³⁸Pu and ²³⁷Pu. ²³⁷Pu was produced by alpha induced reaction on ²³⁵U, followed by radiochemical separation of Pu from irradiated U₃O₈ target. The concentrations used are above and below the solubility of Pu(IV) under neutral pH conditions, thereby, indicating the mechanism of sorption reactions of Pu(IV) in typical laboratory experiments and field level observations. Kinetics of Pu(IV) at 10^?13 M concentration was found to be fast whereas at higher metal concentration the rate is governed by a slow step, indicating the role of formation of Pu(IV) polymeric species at the sorbent surface.     

Influence of Pu(IV) complex formation with 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid on the reduction rate of quadrivalent plutonium

The behaviour of the complex ion formed by quadrivalent plutonium with 1,2-diaminecyclohexanetetraacetic acid (DCTA) in reductive media is studied.     

Least-squares estimations of the first hydrolysis constant of Pu(IV)

The numerical value of the first hydrolysis constant of tetravalent plutonium is uncertain by a factor of about ten. This article illustrates the estimation of that constant by a least squares method applied to simultaneous equations involving all of the Pu oxidation states.     

Structural Periodicity in the Coordination Chemistry of Aqueous Pu(IV) Sulfates

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements have been conducted on solutions of Pu(IV) with varying concentrations of sulfate anion in aqueous solution. Data support the periodic progression to primarily bidentate sulfate coordination about An(IV) centers when moving heavier in the actinides. This observation is attributed to the increase in Lewis acidity of the tetravalent actinides across the series, a consequence of the filling of the 5f orbitals and the actinide contraction. Though the changes in the chemical formation energies of the An(IV) complexes between Th and Pu are small, it is these small energetic differences that are critical to understanding how to effect more efficient and effective chemical separations among isovalent metal ions.     

Potentiometric studies on aqueous fluoride complexes of actinides: Stability constants of Th(IV)-, U(IV)-, Np(IV)- and Pu(IV)-fluorides

The extraction behaviour of Th(IV) and U(VI) in extraction chromatography has been investigated on the basis of partition and infrared studies. The stationary phase was purified undiluted TBP supported on Amberlite XAD-4 and the mobile phase was nitric acid. The results have shown that the equilibria for the extraction of Th(IV) and U(VI) by the TBP/XAD-4 resin agreed very closely with those in solvent extraction.     

Methylbutylmalonamide as an extractant for U(VI), Pu(IV) and Am(III)

We describe the operation of a Local Area Network at Nuclear Chemistry Laboratory involved in surveillance of environmental radioactivity. Detailed consideration is given separately to computer and network hardware, radiation instrument interfacing, software, as well as operations. The application of a Local Area Network offers considerable improvements in the laboratory preformance, quality assurance of radioactivity analyses, and data reporting.     

Adduct formation in Ce(IV) thenolytrifluoroacetonate

Russian Chemical Bulletin -     

Kinetics of formation of polybisbenzimidazobenzophenanthroline-dione (BBB polymer)

The kinetics of the polycondensation of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine with 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid (NTC) have been investigated. Polymerizations were carried out in solution in either polyphosphoric acid (PPA) or in PPA mixed with some sulfuric acid. The reaction is heterogeneous in PPA owing to partial solubility of NTC, whereas it is homogeneous in the mixed solvent. The rate of disappearance of NTC and of dicarboxylic endgroups on oligomers was followed as a function of time at several reaction temperatures. The results show that NTC is more reactive than oligomers, so that the principle of equal reactivity is not valid for the initial steps in the polycondensation reaction.