The Application of Nitrogen Laser on Extraction of Uranium in The Long Life of High Level Radioactive Liquid Waste Using TBP-Kerosene Solvent Gunandjar Radioactive Waste Technology Centre, National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN)

The radionuclide of uranium (U) is major radionuclide contained in the long life of high level radioactive liquid waste (HLLW) generated from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The radioactive waste have to be treated to ready for long term disposal. Separation of the U at high efficiencies greatly lowers the volume of the long life alpha radioactive waste to be disposed and decreases the hazard level of the waste. The technology assessment of selective separation of U was carriedout as alternative and strategy for HLLW management in the future. The selective separation technology of U from fission products at very high efficiencies was developed by the extraction process using TBP-kerosene solvent and increasing the separation by exposure of nitrogen (N2) laser radiation at wavelength 337.1 nm. In the extraction process for simulation waste containing U and Zr in 5 M HNO3 (Zr as one of fission product which difficult to be separated from U) using 30 % TBP-kerosene solvent and by exposure of nitrogen laser radiation shows that increasing of distribution coefficient of U (Kd U) can obtains 135 % and increasing of separation factor of U and Zr (SF(U/Zr)) is 189 %. The increasing of Kd U using N2 laser higher than using CO2 laser (at the wave-number 944 cm ) which increase of Kd U only 100 %. In Indonesia, assessment for adaptation of the separation technology by extraction for separation of U process using 30 % TBP-kerosene solvent should be carried-out as alternative for treatment the HLLW generated from Mo radioisotope production and from post irradiation examination of nuclear fuel. Keywords— extraction; high level radioactive waste; nitrogen laser; photochemistry; tri-butyl phosphate, uranium. Submission: September 10, 2012 Accepted: October 16, 2012