Development of new extraction methods for minor actinide separation

Suzuki, Hideya*; Ban, Yasutoshi  ; Tsubata, Yasuhiro   ; Tsutsui, Nao  ; Toigawa, Tomohiro   ; Kurosawa, Tatsuya*; Shibata, Mitsunobu*; Kawasaki, Tomohiro*; Matsumura, Tatsuro  

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been studying partitioning technology. Recently, JAEA proposed a new liquid-liquid extraction technology called SELECT process to separate minor actinide (MA) from high-level liquid waste for transmutation. In this process, new extractants (HONTA, ADAAM) with highly practical and high extraction ability for MA was developed. A mixed solvent of HONTA and ADAAM was tested for mutual separation of MA and rare earth elements (RE). In this test, separation of MA and RE was achieved with very high yield. Furthermore, Americium (Am) and Curium (Cm) were separated efficiently with high separation factor values.