Performance of Some Ion-Exchange Resins in Removal of 241Am(III), 152+154Eu(III), 99Mo(VI), 137Cs(I), and 60Co(II) from Simulated Nuclear Acidic Solutions

Separation of Am-241(III), Eu152+154(III), and Co-60(II) radionuclides from nitric acid solutions by the batch method using KU-2, TRU, and Amberlite (R) IR-120(H) resins was studied. The separation factors (SFs) of radionuclides are affected by the HNO3 concentration and resin type. In 3 M HNO3, the SF of Eu152+154 from Co-60 and Am-241 with the KU-2 resin was 628 and 26.48, respectively. In 0.01 M HNO3, the SF of Am-241 from Co-60 with the TRU resin reached 83. All the resins used showed good radiation resistance and stability up to 100 kGy. Simulated nuclear liquid waste containing minor actinides (Am-241), lanthanides (Eu152+154), fission products (Cs-137 and Mo-99), and activation products (Co-60) was successfully treated using column chromatography with the KU-2 resin. The radionuclides were stripped using 1.5 M aqueous HNO3 with 70-82% degree of stripping in one stage. Thus, the KU-2 and TRU resins can be used for treatment of the high level corrosion products containing trivalent long-lived minor actinides (5d elements, e.g., Am and Cm), lanthanides (4f elements) and/or divalent heavy metals (3d elements), associated with a nuclear power plant.