A rapid and selective separation of palladium

Palladium was separated from Al, Ru, Rh, U, Pu and also from a mixture of fission products using -benzoin-oxime as the extractant and Solvesso-100 as the diluent. The extraction is quantitative over a wide range of acidity from 0.1M to 4M HNO₃. The method has been found to be equally effective to separate Pd at trace level (carrier-free form). The stoichiometry of the complex, the interference of foreign elements in Pd separation, etc., are reported. The applicability of the method to separate palladium formed in fission rapidly from all other fission products, especially the most strongly interfering molybdenum isotopes, and the recovery of this element from high level radioactive waste are also mentioned.