Recovery of plutonium from graphite crucibles generated in inert gas/vacuum fusion technique

A simple and rapid method has been developed for the separation and purification of plutonium from solid analytical waste (containing uranium, plutonium, nickel and graphite) generated during the analysis of the nuclear fuels for their oxygen and nitrogen contents by inert gas fusion technique. The method is based on crushing the graphite crucibles, electromagnetic separation of plutonium-nickel alloy, dissolution in nitric acid and ion exchange purification of plutonium. Recovery of plutonium is better than 98%. The method may be extendable for the recovery of any other valuable materials from such analytical waste.