Evaluation of the remaining spent extraction solvent in vermiculite after leaching tests via PIXE analysis

荒井 陽一; 渡部 創; 長谷川 健太; 岡村 信生; 渡部 雅之; 武田 啓佑*; 福元 博基*; 吾郷 友宏*; 羽倉 尚人*; 塚原 剛彦*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 542, p.206 - 213, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2023.07.003

Spent PUREX solvent, which mainly consists of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and normal dodecane, is generated by solvent extraction of Plutonium and Uranium in the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. One of the treatment options for storage of the spent solvent is adsorption of the liquid into vermiculite. The organic liquid is considered to be trapped between layers of the vermiculite. Our previous experiments on the adsorption of spent solvent into the vermiculite have shown that some parts of loaded solvent gradually leaked out from the vermiculite. In order to investigate the adsorption mechanism and capacity, elution behavior of the loaded solvent into organic diluents were evaluated. A part of the loaded solvent was easily leaked into the diluent, while some solvent remained inside the particle even after the leaching test. In this study, the adsorption capacity of the vermiculite was evaluated through amount of remaining solvent after washing with diluents. The amount of the remaining solvent was analyzed by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) on P contained in TBP. Peak intensity of P-K line depended on the washing condition, and the behavior of the amount of change in adsorbed P atom qualitatively agreed with the results of the leaching test.

Investigation of adsorption mechanism of Mo(VI) by baker's yeast and applicability to the uranium liquid waste treatment process

荒井 陽一; 長谷川 健太; 渡部 創; 渡部 雅之; 箕輪 一希*; 松浦 治明*; 羽倉 尚人*; 勝木 健太*; 新井 剛*; 小西 康裕*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 9 Pages, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09278-5

Radioactive aqueous and organic liquid wastes contaminated by U are generated by solvent extraction of nuclear fuel materials in experiments of reprocessing technologies. Although incineration and denitrification/conversion processes are promising for treating such liquid waste, the installation of large equipment is essential. To give appropriate treatment procedures for radioactive liquid waste generated in nuclear facilities, STRAD (Systematic Treatments of RAdioactive liquid wastes for Decommissioning) project was started by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) with several organizations. We are focusing on baker's yeasts for their excellent metal ions adsorption characteristics, easy handling and low prices. In order to optimize adsorption performance and operation procedures as the liquid waste treatment technology, adsorption performance of U has to be precisely investigated. In this study, adsorption performance of U and anion from nitric acid solution was investigated by batch-wise adsorption experiments.

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

荒井 陽一; 渡部 創; 大野 真平; 野村 和則; 中村 文也*; 新井 剛*; 瀬古 典明*; 保科 宏行*; 羽倉 尚人*; 久保田 俊夫*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 477, p.54 - 59, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2019.10.028

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.

東海再処理施設周辺の環境放射線モニタリング結果; 2018年度

中野 政尚; 藤井 朋子; 根本 正史; 飛田 慶司; 河野 恭彦; 細見 健二; 西村 周作; 松原 菜摘; 前原 勇志; 成田 亮介; et al.

JAEA-Review 2019-048, 165 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Review-2019-048.pdf:2.69MB

核燃料サイクル工学研究所では、「日本原子力研究開発機構核燃料サイクル工学研究所再処理施設保安規定、第IV編 環境監視」に基づき、再処理施設周辺の環境放射線モニタリングを実施している。本報告書は、2018年4月から2019年3月までの間に実施した環境放射線モニタリングの結果、及び大気、海洋への放射性物質の放出に起因する周辺公衆の線量算出結果について、取りまとめたものである。なお、上記の環境放射線モニタリングの結果において、2011年3月に発生した東京電力(2016年4月1日付けで東京電力ホールディングスに変更)福島第一原子力発電所事故で放出された放射性物質の影響が多くの項目でみられた。また、環境監視計画の概要、測定方法の概要、測定結果及びその経時変化、気象統計結果、放射性廃棄物の放出状況、平常の変動幅の上限値を超過した値の評価について付録として収録した。

東海再処理施設周辺の環境放射線モニタリング結果; 2017年度

中野 政尚; 藤田 博喜; 水谷 朋子; 根本 正史; 飛田 慶司; 河野 恭彦; 細見 健二; 外間 智規; 西村 朋紘; 松原 菜摘; et al.

JAEA-Review 2018-025, 171 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Review-2018-025.pdf:3.81MB

核燃料サイクル工学研究所では、「日本原子力研究開発機構核燃料サイクル工学研究所再処理施設保安規定、第IV編 環境監視」に基づき、再処理施設周辺の環境放射線モニタリングを実施している。本報告書は、2017年4月から2018年3月までの間に実施した環境モニタリングの結果、及び大気, 海洋への放射性物質の放出に起因する周辺公衆の線量算出結果について、取りまとめたものであり、2011年3月に発生した東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故の影響が多くの項目で見られた。なお、環境監視計画の概要、測定方法の概要、測定結果及びその経時変化、気象統計結果、放射性廃棄物の放出状況、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故の影響による平常の変動幅を外れた値の評価について付録として収録した。

Observation of a -decaying millisecond isomeric state in Cd

Jungclaus, A.*; Grawe, H.*; 西村 俊二*; Doornenbal, P.*; Lorusso, G.*; Simpson, G. S.*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; 炭竃 聡之*; Taprogge, J.*; Xu, Z. Y.*; et al.

Physics Letters B, 772, p.483 - 488, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2017.07.006

A new high-spin isomer in the neutron-rich nucleus Cd was populated in the projectile fission of a U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. A half-life of T = 6.3(8) ms was measured for the new state which was tentatively assigned a spin/parity of (15). The isomeric state decays via the emission of a 309-keV ray with multipolarity. The experimental results are compared to shell model calculations performed using state-of-the-art realistic effective interactions and to the neighbouring nucleus Cd. The comparison with calculations shows that adjustments of the pairing and multipole parts of the effective interaction derived from the CD-Bonn nucleon-nucleon potential are required in order to describe the properties of nuclei in the region around Sn.

First observation of rays emitted from excited states south-east of Sn; The g multiplet of In

Jungclaus, A.*; Gargano, A.*; Grawe, H.*; Taprogge, J.*; 西村 俊二*; Doornenbal, P.*; Lorusso, G.*; Shimizu, Y.*; Simpson, G. S.*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 93(4), p.041301_1 - 041301_6, 2016/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.93.041301

For the first time, the decay of excited states in a nucleus situated "south-east" of Sn have been observed, in a region where experimental information is limited to ground-state properties. Six rays from Cd, produced in the fragmentation of a U beam at RIBF at RIKEN. The rays were studied using the EURICA array of Ge detectors. The new experimental information is compared to results from realistic shell-model calculations, which are the first in this region far from stability. Comparison with calculations suggests that at least four out of six new transitions can be attributed to the particle-hole configuration of one neutron in the and one proton hole in the orbits, respectively. This work constitutes an important first step towards the exploration of nuclear structure in this unknown region of the nuclear chart.

-decay half-lives of 110 neutron-rich nuclei across the =82 shell gap; Implications for the mechanism and universality of the astrophysical process

Lorusso, G.*; 西村 俊二*; Xu, Z. Y.*; Jungclaus, A.*; Shimizu, Y.*; Simpson, G. S.*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; Watanabe, H.*; Browne, F.*; Doornenbal, P.*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 114(19), p.192501_1 - 192501_7, 2015/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.192501

The -decay half-lives of 110 neutron-rich isotopes of the elements from Rb to Sn were measured at the RIBF Facility at RIKEN, Japan. The new data demonstrate the persistence of shell structure far from stability and have direct implications for the -process calculations. In particular, the new half-lives have a global impact on the calculated -process elemental abundances, and alleviate the underproduction of isotopes just above and below the A=130 peak, which in the past required the introduction of shell structure modifications. Reaction-network calculations based on the new data reinforce the notion that the r-process abundance pattern may result from the freeze-out of a (n,)(,n) equilibrium.

Yrast 6 seniority isomers of Sn

Simpson, G. S.*; Gey, G.*; Jungclaus, A.*; Taprogge, J.*; 西村 俊二*; Sieja, K.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Lorusso, G.*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; 炭竃 聡之*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 113(13), p.132502_1 - 132502_6, 2014/09

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.132502

Delayed -ray cascades, originating from the decay of 6 isomeric states, in the very neutron-rich, semimagic isotopes Sn were observed following the projectile fission of a U beam at RIBF, RIKEN. The wave functions of these isomeric states are proposed to be predominantly a fully aligned pair of f neutrons. Shell-model calculations, performed using a realistic effective interaction, reproduce well the energies of the excited states of these nuclei and the measured transition rates, with the exception of the 2;6) rate of Sn, which deviates from a simple seniority scheme. Empirically reducing the orbit matrix elements produces a 4+1 state with almost equal seniority 2 and 4 components, correctly reproducing the experimental 2;6) rate of Sn. These data provide a key benchmark for shell-model interactions far from stability.

proton-hole state in Sn and the shell structure along =82

Taprogge, J.*; Jungclaus, A.*; Grawe, H.*; 西村 俊二*; Doornenbal, P.*; Lorusso, G.*; Simpson, G.*; Sderstrm, P.-A.*; 炭竃 聡之*; Xu, Z. Y.*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 112(13), p.132501_1 - 132501_6, 2014/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.132501

A low-lying state in In, the one-proton hole nucleus with respect to double magic Sn, was observed by its decay to the beta emitting isomer. The new state, which was populated both in the beta decay of Cd and after beta-delayed neutron emission from Cd, was identified, at an excitation energy of 1353 keV, as the previously unknown single-hole state with respect to the Sn core. Exploiting this crucial new experimental information, shell-model calculations were performed to study the structure of experimentally inaccessible =82 isotones below Sn. The results evidence a surprising absence of proton subshell closures along the chain of =82 isotones. This finding bears consequences on the evolution of the =82 shell gap along the r-process path.