Application of Fine Grain ТОКЕМ and Chromalite Sulfocationites for Chromatographic Separation of REE and TPE
Abstract
In this paper the results of the comparative REE separation study using the method of the displacement chelating chromatography with Chromalite СGС (of Purolite Company, Great Britain) and TOKEM (TOKEM Company, Kemerovo City, Russia) sorbents were given. Holmium and neodymium separation experiments were run at the temperature of 70oC using the 2-column chromatographic setup. The 0.05 mole/L DTPA solution was used for the eluent. Holmium was used to simulate the behavior of curium and americium in macro quantities. Neodymium was chosen as a typical REE representative as its content of up to 40% in the initial mixture of fission products was the highest of all. With Chromalite СGС and TOKEM sorbent samples containing 8% of the cross-linking divinylbenzene (DVB) agent the REE concentrations in eluates were relatively high within the range of 4.5-5.5 g/L; the efficient separation and minimum mixing zone of neighbor elements were observed.
Chromalite СGС and TOKEM 304 cationites containing 4% of DVB possessed an insufficiently high capacity that was compensated by the 1.5-1.6 times higher velocity of the separation band along the column. The separation efficiency in the case is also high enough; however, no distinctive plateau on the holmium elution curve was observed. The phenomenon was associated with the fact that the less the cross-linking, the lower the ion exchange constants of Ho-Na elements with different charge, which resulted in the decreased pH of eluates and hence, the higher fraction of the betainic ions of the chelating agent. The gross change in the ion exchange constants of all exchangeable ions prevailed the displacement capabilities of the alkaline metal ion. Therefore, the heavy REE holmium ions and transplutonium ions were washed off in the elution mode characterized by the dome-shaped elution curve. The results obtained made it possible to recommend these sulfocationites for recovery and separation of REE and TPE from SNF reprocessing solutions.
Downloads
References
2. Haritonov O.V., Miljutin V.V., Firsova L.A., Kozlitin E.A. et.al., Voprosy radiacionnoj bezopasnosti, 2016, No 3, pp.52-60.
3. Haritonov O.V., Chuveleva Je.A., Gelis V.M., Firsova L.A., Radiohimija, 1998, Vol. 40, No 2, pp.125-127.
4. Gelis V.M., Maslova G.B., Radiohimija. 1998, Vol. 40, No 1, pp.52-54.
5. Harbour R.M., Hale W.H., Burney, Love J.T., Atomic Energy Review, 1972, Vol. 10, No 3, pp. 379-399.
6. Chmutov K.V, Nazarov P.P., Chuveleva Je.A., Haritonov O.V., Radiohimija, 1977, Vol. 19, No 4. pp. 431-435.
7. Chuveleva Je.A., Haritonov O.V., Firsova L.A., Radiohimija, 1994, Vol. 36, No 2, pp. 167-170.
8. Tremijon B. Razdelenie na ionoobmennyh smolah, Per. s franc., M., Mir, 1967, 427 p.
9. Wheelwright E.J., Separation Science and Technology, 1980, Vol. 15, No 4, pp. 783-798.
10. Haritonov O.V., Miljutin V.V., Firsova L.A., Kozlitin E.A. et.al., Voprosy radiacionnoj bezopasnosti, 2016, No 3, pp.52-60.
11. Haritonov O.V., Firsova L.A., Kozlitin E.A., Sorbtsionnye i khromatograficheskie protsessy, 2017, Vol. 17, No 2, pp.279-284.
12. Kharitonov O.V., Chuveleva E.A., Firsova L.A., Peshkov A.S., Radiohimija, 1998, Vol.40, No 2. pp.140-141.
13. Firsova L.A., Chuveleva E.A., Gelis V.M., Barabanov I.R., Gurentsov V.I., Kornoukhov V.N., Yanovich E.A., Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 2001, Vol. 75, No 6, pp. 961-964.
14. Kharitonov O.V., Firsova L.A., Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A., 2009, Vol. 83, No 8, pp. 1380-1383.
