Separation of Zr in the rubble waste generated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Shimada, Asako ; Kameo, Yutaka 

Separation method of Zr using trans uranium resin (TRU resin) was developed. Approximately 100% of Zr, Nb, Bi, Th, and U and a part of Mo and Hg were extracted on the TRU resin from 3 M HNO solution and separated from Li, Be, Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr,Ag, Cd, In, Cs, Ba. Approximately 100% of Zr, Nb, and U were striped from the TRU resin with 0.01 M HF and 10% of Mo, 7.1% of Hg, 77% of Bi, and 20% of Th were also included in the stripping solution. In order to measure Zr with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Zr has to be separated from Nb and Mo to avoid isobaric interference. Therefore, further purification of Zr using tetra valent actinide resin (TEVA resin) was applied. The developed method was evaluated with the simulated rubble sample solution. Although a part of Zr was eluted during sample loading, most of Zr was extracted on the TRU resin and separated major elements of the rubble sample. Finally, Zr was separated from Nb and Mo with the TEVA resin.