Process for the extraction of strontium from acidic solutions
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsE. Philip Horwitz, Mark L. Dietz
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Abstract
The invention is a process for selectively extracting strontium values from aqueous nitric acid waste solutions containing these and other fission product values. The extractant solution is a macrocyclic polyether in an aliphatic hydrocarbon diluent containing a phase modifier. The process will selectively extract strontium values from nitric acid solutions which are up to 6 molar in nitric acid.
Claims11
A process of recovering strontium values from an aqueous nitric acid feed solution contain this and other fission product values comprising:
- contacting the aqueous feed solution containing from about 1 to 6 molar nitric acid with an organic extractant solution consisting of a crown ether in a diluent, the diluent being selected from the group consisting of a neat phase modifier and a paraffinic hydrocarbon having from 10 to 15 carbons containing a phase modifier;
- maintaining the contact for a period of time sufficient for the strontium values in the feed solution to be taken up by the extractant;
- and
- separating the extractant from the feed solution, thereby separating the strontium values from the aqueous acid feed solution.
A process of recovering strontium values from an aqueous acid feed solution containing these and other fission product values comprising:
- contacting the aqueous feed solution containing from about 1M to about 6M nitric acid with an extractant solution of about 0.2M bis-4, 4'(5')[(t-butyl)cyclohexano]-18-crown-6 in dodecane and about 1.2M tri-n-butyl phosphate at a temperature between about 25.degree. and about 60.degree. C.;
- maintaining the contact for at least 1 minute for the strontium values to be taken up by the extractant solution;
- and
- separating the loaded extractant solution from the aqueous solution, thereby separating the strontium from the aqueous acid feed solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.