Local structure and distribution of remaining elements inside extraction chromatography adsorbents

渡部 創; 佐野 雄一; 塩飽 秀啓; 矢板 毅; 大野 真平*; 新井 剛*; 松浦 治明*; 江夏 昌志*; 佐藤 隆博*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 404, p.202 - 206, 2017/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2017.01.055

Extraction chromatography is one of the most promising technology for minor actinide (MA(III): Am and Cm) recovery from high level liquid waste generated in the reprocessing. A brand-new adsorbent proposed by our group are expected to achieve more efficient MA(III) recovery than usual procedure. Fundamental MA(III) adsorption/elution performances of the adsorbents have been demonstrated. An appropriate washing process of lanthanides (Ln(III)) is necessary to be established to design a process flow. In this study, chemical state and distribution of Eu inside the adsorbent before and after contacting with candidate eluents for MA(III) or Ln(III) were evaluated by EXAFS measurements and micro-PIXE analysis, respectively. Two-dimensional PIXE images showed that adsorbed Eu and residual Eu after contacting with the eluents for MA(III) were uniformly distributed on the particle. However, EXAFS oscillation revealed that local structure around Eu drastically changes by the contact. Those results suggest that the Eu remained inside the particle without distinct shift and that they form various complexes with extractants in the particle.