Method for separation of actinide elements

Abstract

A method for separation of actinide elements comprising feeding a solution containing actinide elements such as americium, curium, californium and the like, into a resin column in which a weakly basic primary, secondary or tertiary anion exchange resin obtained by resinifying pyridine, imidazole or alkylamine has been packed, and then feeding an eluent of a mixed solution of nitric acid and alkyl alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol and the like into the resin column to chromatographically separate the actinide elements from each other. This method makes it possible to efficiently separate the actinide elements from each other by a unit operation at ordinary temperature and ordinary pressure while avoiding oxidation operation, and hence makes it possible to avoid generation of secondary wastes and operations difficult in terms of engineering, such as precipitation.

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