Microscopic analyses on Zr adsorbed IDA chelating resin by PIXE and EXAFS

Arai, Yoichi  ; Watanabe, So  ; Ono, Shimpei; Nomura, Kazunori  ; Nakamura, Fumiya*; Arai, Tsuyoshi*; Seko, Noriaki*; Hoshina, Hiroyuki*; Hagura, Naoto*; Kubota, Toshio*

Used PUREX process solvent generated from reprocessing process of spent nuclear fuel contains a small amount of U and Pu complexed with tributyl phosphate (TBP) or dibutyl phosphate (DBP). The radioactive nuclides should be removed from the solvent for safety storage or disposal. The iminodiacetic acid (IDA) type chelating resin was proposed as promising procedures for efficient recovery of the trapped cations in the solvent. In order to reveal the distribution and amount of Zr in the particle and local structure of Zr complex formed in the adsorbent, PIXE and EXAFS analyses on the Zr adsorbed chelating resin were carried out. Micro-PIXE analysis proved that it is an effectual method for quantitative analysis of trace adsorbed elements. Moreover, some of the adsorption sites were possibly occupied by the molecules. On the other hand, Zr-K edge EXAFS analysis suggested that extraction mechanism of Zr from the aqueous solution and the solvent was different.