Substituted sulphoxide ligands in piperidinium based ionic liquid: novel solvent systems for the extraction of Pu<Superscript>4+</Superscript> and PuO<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>2+</Superscript>

Sulphoxide ligands in piperidinium based ionic liquid were demonstrated as highly efficient, selective and environmentally benign systems for the extraction of plutonium from acidic aqueous solution. The extraction followed ‘cation-exchange mechanism’ via [Pu(NO₃)·L]³⁺ and [PuO₂(NO₃)·L]⁺ species. The extraction efficiency followed the trend: APSO > BPSO > BMSO. The phenyl substituted sulphoxides showed higher affinity for plutonium due to a combination of steric as well as electronic factors. Extraction process was thermodynamically spontaneous for all three solvent systems. Oxalic acid and sodium carbonate were suitable for quantitative stripping of Pu⁴⁺ and PuO₂ ²⁺, respectively. APSO in ionic liquid showed good radiolytic stability.     

Sorption of plutonium from low level liquid waste using nano MnO2

Nano-crystalline MnO₂ has been synthesized by the method of alcoholic hydrolysis of KMnO₄ and its potential as a sorbent for plutonium present in the low level liquid waste (LLW) solutions was investigated. The kinetic studies on the sorption of Pu by MnO₂ reveal the attainment of equilibrium sorption in 15 h, however 90 % of sorption could be achieved within an hour. In the studies on optimization of the solution conditions for sorption, it was observed that the sorption increases with the pH of the aqueous solution, attains the maximum value of 100 % at pH = 3 and remains constant thereafter. The sorption was found to be nearly independent of the ionic strength (0.01–1.0 M) of the aqueous solutions maintained using NaClO₄, indicating the inner sphere complexation between the Pu⁴⁺ ions and the surface sites on MnO₂. Interference studies with different fission products, viz., Cs⁺, Sr²⁺ and Nd³⁺, revealed decrease in the percentage sorption with increasing pH of the suspension indicating the competition between the metal ions. However, at the metal ion concentrations prevalent in the low level liquid waste solutions, the decrease in the Pu sorption was only marginally decreased to 90 % at pH = 3, the decrease being more in the case of Nd³⁺ than that in the case of Cs⁺. This study, therefore, shows nano-crystalline MnO₂ can be used as a sorbent for separation of Pu from LLW solutions.     

The effect of physicochemical parameters on the separation recovery of plutonium and uranium from aqueous solutions by cation exchange

The effect of physicochemical parameters such as pH, salinity (e.g. [NaCl]) and competitive cation (e.g. Ca²⁺ and Fe³⁺) concentration on the separation recovery of plutonium and uranium from aqueous solutions by cation exchange has been investigated. The investigation was performed to evaluate the applicability of cation exchange as separation and pre-concentration method prior to the radiometric analysis of uranium and plutonium isotopes in natural water samples. Application of the method to test solutions of constant radionuclide concentration and variable composition (0.1, 0.5 and 1 M NaCl; 0.1 and 0.5 M Ca(NO₃)₂; 0.1 and 1 mM FeCl₃; 10) has generally shown that: (1) the optimum pH is 4.5 for uranium and plutonium, (2) increasing salinity results in slightly lower for uranium and significantly higher chemical recovery plutonium and (3) the presence of Ca(II) cations doesn’t significantly affect the chemical recovery of both radionuclides. Contrary, the presence of Fe(III) cations ([Fe(III)] > 0.1 mM) results in significantly lower chemical recovery for both radionuclides (<50%). The later is attributed to the formation of Fe(III) colloids, which present increased chemical affinity for uranium and plutonium and hence compete with the radionuclide binding by the resin. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the method could be successfully applied to a wide range of natural waters.     

Supported liquid membrane based loading technique for thermal ionization mass spectrometry: an application to plutonium isotopic composition and concentration determination

Supported liquid membrane (SLM) was prepared by immobilizing the extractant tricaprylmethyl ammonium chloride (Aliquat-336) into the microporous poly(propylene) membrane. The formed SLM with optimize composition was found be selective toward Pu⁴⁺ ions over UO₂²⁺ and Am³⁺ ions in a wide range of high acid concentrations (3–7 mol L^?1 HNO₃). The composition of SLM was optimized by using varying proportions of Aliquat-336 with solvents/diluents such as dioctyl phthalate (DOP), 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether and tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate. Among these diluents, DOP was found to be stable and causing uniform distribution of the extractant on the membrane. The surface morphology was characterized by atomic force microscopy. Stability and change in physical structure of SLM was characterized by capillary flow porometry. The Pu pre-concentrated in SLM was used to find out isotopic composition and concentration of the plutonium with help of thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The SLM was found to be stable and amenable to routine analyses.     

A new method for estimating the dispersity of deposited metallic nanoparticles and extent of their interaction with the support matrices

Using a fully relativistic DV cluster method, we study the electronic structure of a large fragment of the crystal lattice of zircon ZrSiO₄ with a plutonium dopant atom replacing a Zr⁴⁺ zirconium atom. Three possible states of the impurity center are considered: Pu⁴⁺ (isovalent substitution), Pu³⁺ (non-isovalent substitution), and Pu³⁺ with an oxygen vacancy in the nearest environment that provides charge compensation. Relaxation of the ZrSiO₄ crystal lattice near a defect is simulated using a semi-empirical method of atomic pair potentials (GULP program). An analysis of overlap populations and effective charges on atoms shows that the chemical bonding of plutonium with a matrix is covalent, while isovalent substitution yields a more stable system than a Pu³⁺ impurity. In the presence of vacancies the structure of chemical bonding is intermediate with respect to substitutions Pu⁴⁺ → Zr⁴⁺ and Pu³⁺ → Zr⁴⁺.     

Studies on the adsorption of plutonium (IV) on alumina from phosphoric acid-nitric acid solution

Results of experiments on the adsorption of plutonium (IV) on alumina and their application to the recovery of plutonium from analytical waste solutions containing phosphoric-nitric acid are reported. Distribution ratios of plutonium (IV) between alumina and solutions containing varying concentrations of phosphoric acid and nitric acid are determined. The influence of various ions like UO₂ ²⁺, Fe³⁺, MoO₄ ^2–, VO²⁺ and SO₄ ^2– on the distribution ratio is evaluated. Saturation values of adsorption of plutonium (IV) on alumina and optimum conditions for loading and elution of plutonium on a column packed with alumina are described.     

Determination of plutonium in environmental samples by controlled valence in aniion exchange

The title method was successfully used for collecting^239,249Pu from 200 litres of seawater by coprecipitation with 16 g FeSO₄·7H₂O under redcing conditions witout filtering. The plutonium is leached by concentrate HNO₃+HCl from the coprecipitate and the solid particles. The precipitate is heated at 400°C and digested in aqua regia. Na₂SO₃ and NaNO₂ have been applied to obtain the Pu⁴⁺ valence state in 0.5–1N HNO₃ for different samples. Plutonium and thorium are coadsorbed on anionic resin from 8N HNO₃. The column is eluted with 8N HNO₃ containing fresh NaNO₂ to keep the Pu⁴⁺ state for uranium decontaination. The system of the column is changed from 8N HNO₃ to concentrated HCl with 50 ml concentrated HCl containing a few milligrams of NaNO₂. Furtheer decontaimination of torium was achieved by elution with concentrated HCl instead of 9N HCl. The plutonium is successfully stripped by H₂O, NaOH, 2N HNO₃ and 0.5N HNO₃ containign 0.01M NaNO₃. The chemica yield of plutonium for a 2001 seawate sample is 60–80%. The resolution of the electroplated thin source is very good.     

Recovery of americium from analytical solid waste containing large amounts of uranium,plutonium and silver

Trace metallic impurity analysis by spectroscopic techniques is one of the important steps of chemical quality control of nuclear fuel materials. Depending on the burn-up and the storage time of the fuel, there is an accumulation of ²⁴¹Am in plutonium based fuel materials due to β decay of ²⁴¹Pu. In this paper, attempts were made to develop a method for separation of ²⁴¹Am from 1.2 kg of analytical solid waste containing 70% U, 23% Pu, 5% Ag and 1–2% C as major constituents along with other minor constituents generated during trace metal assay of plutonium based fuel samples by d. c. arc carrier distillation atomic emission spectrometry. A combination of ion exchange, solvent extraction and precipitation methods were carried out to separate ~45 mg of ²⁴¹Am as Am(NO₃)₃ from 15 L of the analytical waste solution. Dowex 1×4 ion exchange chromatographic method was used for separation of Pu whereas 30% TBP–kerosene was utilized for separation of U. Am was separated from other impurities by fluoride precipitation followed by conversion to nitrate. The recovery of Pu from ion exchange chromatographic separation step was ~93% while the cumulative recovery of Am after separation process was found to be ~90%.     

Extraction of tri- and tetravalent actinides with dihexyl N,N-diethylcarbamoylmethyl phosphonate (DHDECMP) and TBP from nitric acid solutions

Extraction of trivalent (Pu³⁺, Am³⁺, actinides and Eu³⁺, a representative of lanthanides) and tetravalent (Np⁴⁺ and Pu⁴⁺) actinides has been studied with dihexyl N,N-di-ethylcarbamoylmethyl phosphonate (DHDECMP) in combination with TBP in benzene from 2M nitric acid. The stoichiometries of the species extracted were found to be M(NO₃)₃·(3–n) TBP·n DHDECMP (for trivalent ions) and M(NO₃)₄·(2–n) TBP·n DHDECMP (for tetravalent ions) by the slope ratio method. The extraction constants evaluated (from the distribution data) indicate that for tetravalent ions (with solvation number two) the extraction constant increases when TBP (Kh=0.17) molecules are successively replaced by more basic DHDECMP (Kh=0.34) molecules. However, for trivalent ions (with solvation number three) when TBP molecules are totally replaced by DHDECMP molecules stereochemical factors appear and instead of increase, a substantial decrease in extraction constants is observed for Eu³⁺ and Am³⁺, a lesser decrease being observed for Pu³⁺ (larger ion).     

Radiation stability of several polymeric supports used for radionuclide transport from nuclear wastes using liquid membranes

In an attempt to evaluate radiation stability of several polymeric materials used as the support in supported liquid membrane studies for the transport of radionuclides from nuclear waste, flat sheets made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyacrylonitrile and polyvinylidenefluoride were irradiated to varying extents using a ⁶⁰Co gamma ray source and subsequently, the transport efficiency of the irradiated flat sheets were evaluated. The membrane integrity was assessed from the transport rates of Am³⁺ from a feed containing 3 M HNO₃ into a receiver phase containing 0.01 M HNO₃ as the strippant while 0.1 M TODGA (N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyldiglycolamide) + 0.5 M DHOA (di-n-hexyloctanamide) in n-dodecane was used as the carrier extractant. The radiation stability of the membrane filters was evaluated after irradiating them up to 20 MRad absorbed dose in a gamma chamber.     

Purification,Gene Cloning,and Characterization of a Novel Halohydrin Dehalogenase from Agromyces mediolanus ZJB120203

A novel halohydrin dehalogenase (HHDH), catalyzing the transformation of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) to epichlorohydrin (ECH), was purified from Agromyces mediolanus ZJB120203. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 28 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A 735-bp nucleotide fragment was obtained based on the N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of the purified HHDH. The gene codes a protein sequence with 244 amino acid residues, and the protein sequence shows high similarity to Hhe A_AD2 (HHDH from Arthrobacter sp. AD2), defined as Hhe A_Am, which is the seventh reported HHDH. Expression of Hhe A_Am was carried out in Escherichia coli and purification was performed by nickel-affinity chromatography. The recombinant HheA_Am possessed an optimal pH of 8.5 and an optimal temperature of 50 °C and manifested a K _m of 4.58 mM and a V _max of 3.84 μmol/min^/mg. The activity of Hhe A_Am was not significantly affected by metal ions such as Zn²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, and EDTA, but was strongly inhibited by Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺. In particular, the Hhe A_Am exhibits an enantioselectivity for the conversion of prochiral 1,3-DCP to (S)-ECH. The applications of the Hhe A_Am as a catalyst for asymmetric synthesis are promising.     

A new method for the determination of plutonium and americium using high pressure microwave digestion and alpha-spectrometry or ICP-SMS

Plutonium and americium are radionuclides particularly difficult to measure in environmental samples because they are α-emitters and therefore necessitate a careful separation before any measurement, either using radiometric methods or ICP-SMS. Recent developments in extraction chromatography resins such as Eichrom^® TRU and TEVA have resolved many of the analytical problems but drawbacks such as low recovery and spectral interferences still occasionally occur. Here, we report on the use of the new Eichrom^® DGA resin in association with TEVA resin and high pressure microwave acid leaching for the sequential determination of plutonium and americium in environmental samples. The method results in average recoveries of 83 ± 15% for plutonium and 73 ± 22% for americium (n = 60), and a less than 10% deviation from reference values of four IAEA reference materials and three samples from intercomparisons exercises. The method is also suitable for measuring ²³⁹Pu in water samples at the μBq/l level, if ICP-SMS is used for the measurement.     

Work of plutonium(IV) disproportionation: Alternative perspectives

Summary The work of disproportionation of tetravalent plutonium can be estimated in two ways. In the first way, the Pu⁴⁺cation generates three other oxidation states and PuOH³⁺. In the second way, the sum of Pu⁴⁺and PuOH³⁺generates three other oxidation states and fraction of PuOH³⁺changes. The methods yield different estimates of the work of Pu⁴⁺disproportionation.     

Structure and properties of 2,2-dihydroxymalonates of trivalent Y, lanthanides, Pu and Am

The M-O bond lengths in the lanthanide series show a well-known behaviour due to lanthanide contraction, including so-called “gadolinium break”. All three bond lengths show a good linear correlation with Shannon ionic radii for Y³⁺ and Ln³⁺ ions with coordination number 9. Nevertheless, the slopes of these dependences are different (0.957(16) for OH-groups, 0.85(2) for carboxylate groups and 1.080(17) for water molecules) and differ from unity due to a layer nature of the structures. The ionic radii for Pu³⁺ and Am³⁺ with coordination number 9 are absent in the Shannon system of ionic radii. From our data, we can propose the values 1.172 and 1.156 Å for Pu³⁺, and Am³⁺, respectively. In all crystals the structure is stabilized through extensive hydrogen bonding involving carboxylic and hydroxyl groups and water molecules.     

Redox determination of uranium in presence of plutonium in low phosphoric acid medium and the recovery of plutonium

Quantitative determination of uranium in (U, Pu)O₂ fuels is usually done by the DAVIES-GRAY method. High concentrations of phosphoric acid in the analytical waste generated by this method make the revocery of plutonium rather complex. Studies on the recovery of plutonium from nitric acid medium containing different concentrations of H₃PO₄ by conventional anion-exchange procedure reveal that more than 90% of the plutonium can be easily recovered when the phosphoric acid concentration is less than 0.5 M in the solution. A method was developed for the determination of uranium in the presence of plutonium, which involves the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) by Fe(II) in a medium of 3.5M H₃PO₄ +4.5M H₂SO₄ instead of 10–11M H₃PO₄ so as to have the H₃PO₄ concentration 0.6M in the waste. A number of determinations of uranium in UO₂(NO₃)₂ working standard solutions and (U, Pu) synthetic solutions with uranium at the 3–7 mg level were carried out by this method. The precision obtained was better than ±0.2% and the accuracy was also within the precision limits. The resulting analytical waste generated was directly subjected to anion exchange separation for the recovery of plutonium which was found to be more than 90%.     

Determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants by flow injection-based solid-phase extraction/electrochemical detection system

A flow injection-based electrochemical detection system coupled to a solid-phase extraction column was developed for the determination of trace amounts of plutonium in low-active liquid wastes from spent nuclear-fuel reprocessing plants. The oxidation state of plutonium in a sample solution was adjusted to Pu(VI) by the addition of silver(II) oxide. A sample solution was made up in 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ and loaded onto a column packed with UTEVA^® with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃ as the carrier. Plutonium(VI) was adsorbed onto the resin, and interfering elements were removed by rinsing the column with 3 mol L^?1 HNO₃. Subsequently, the adsorbed Pu(VI) was eluted with 0.01 mol L^?1 HNO₃, and then introduced directly into the flow-through electrolysis cell with boron-doped diamond electrode. The eluted Pu(VI) was detected by an electrochemical amperometric method at a working potential of 0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The current produced on reduction of Pu(VI) was continuously monitored and recorded. The plutonium concentration was calculated from the relationship between the peak area and concentration of plutonium. The relative standard deviation of ten analyses was 1.1% for a plutonium solution of 25 μg L^?1 containing 50 ng of Pu. The detection limit calculated from three-times the standard deviation was 0.82 μg L^?1 (1.6 ng of Pu).     

Assay of actinides in human urine by rapid method

A method using DGA resin (N,N,N′,N′-tetra-n-octyldiglycolamide on an inert support) was developed for the rapid analysis of actinides in urine samples. Samples acidified with HCl to 4 M were loaded directly (without digestion) onto a DGA column. Actinides were stripped simultaneously, α-sources were prepared by co-precipitation with NdF₃. Americium, plutonium and uranium were separated with acceptable high recoveries (40–80%). The americium, plutonium and uranium content of 100–200 ml urine samples was determined within 24 h with detection limits as low as 0.01 Bq l^?1. Based on model experiments using ¹⁴C-spiked urea, it was proven that high urea content can affect americium separation deleteriously due to irreversible fixing of americium on DGA resin.     

Electrode processes of plutonium ions in phosphate media

Summary The electrolytic behaviour of plutonium ions in a mixture of phosphate and nitrate solutions was studied by flow-coulometry with column electrodes of glassy carbon(GC)-fibers and voltammetry with a GC disc electrode, and compared with that in phosphate-free media. The redox processes, PuO ₂ ²⁺ /PuO ₂ ⁺ and Pu⁴⁺/Pu³⁺, were demonstrated to be reversible even in the phosphate media and their half wave potentials shifted more negatively due to the formation of PuO₂(H₂PO₄)⁺ and Pu(HPO₄)₂. The rate of the irreversible reduction of PuO ₂ ⁺ to Pu³⁺ increased in the presence of phosphoric acid and the quantitative reduction was attained with the column electrode even at +0.35 V vs. saturated KCl-Ag/AgCl. The reduction process of PuO ₂ ⁺ was elucidated considering an intermediate Pu(IV)-species, PuO²⁺, which decomposed into Pu⁴⁺ by a post-chemical reaction. Analytical advantages of the use of phosphate media are discussed.     

Extraction of europium and americium into nitrobenzene by using synergistic mixture of hydrogen dicarbollylcobaltate and tetraisopropyl methylene diphosphonate

Extraction of microamounts of europium and americium by a nitrobenzene solution of hydrogen dicarbollylcobaltate (H⁺B^?) in the presence of tetraisopropyl methylene diphosphonate [T(iPr)MDP, L] has been investigated. The equilibrium data have been explained assuming that the complexes HL⁺, HL₂ ⁺, ML₂ ³⁺, ML₃ ³⁺ and ML₄ ³⁺ (M³⁺ = Eu³⁺, Am³⁺) are extracted into the organic phase. The values of extraction and stability constants of the species in nitrobenzene saturated with water have been determined. It was found that the stability constants of the corresponding complexes EuL _n ³⁺ and AmL _n ³⁺, where n = 2, 3, 4 and L is T(iPr)MDP, in water-saturated nitrobenzene are comparable.     

Determination of ultratrace amounts of plutonium in high saline groundwater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

For determination of ultratrace amounts of plutonium in high saline groundwater, large-volume sampling and preconcentration are necessary. However, traditional co-precipitation methods, such as Fe(OH)₃, Ca(OH)₂–Mg(OH)₂ and hydroxide-carbonate co-precipitation, are unable to meet the requirements of preconcentration of the ultratrace plutonium in high saline groundwater. In this paper, the ultratrace plutonium in high saline groundwater was concentrated by sequential co-precipitation with MnO₂ and Fe(OH)₃, and purified by two-stage anion-exchange separation on Dowex1 × 4 resin column. Quadrupole ICP-MS was employed for the determination of ²³⁹Pu with ²⁴²Pu spiked. After co-precipitation and purification, the major matrix elements were significantly decreased to μg mL^?1 level and decontamination factor of uranium is better than 10⁶. The detection limit for ²³⁹Pu in 50 L high saline water is 2.1 × 10^?16 g L^?1. Three high saline fountain samples (total dissolved solids more than 20 g L^?1) from Dunhuang region of China were analyzed using this method. The concentrations of ²³⁹Pu in these samples were 0.48 ± 0.2 × 10^?15, 1.40 ± 0.10 × 10^?15 and 2.13 ± 0.21 × 10^?15 g L^?1 respectively. The recovery obtained for 7 pg of ²⁴²Pu spiked into real high saline-water samples was all above 70 %.