Abstract:
The extraction performance of La
3+ and Ac
3+ in hydrochloric acid medium was studied by using 2-ethylhexyl phosphate mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P
507) as extractant and sulfonated kerosene as diluent. The effects of acidity, saponification of extractant, La
3+ concentration and concentration of salting-out agent on extraction were studied. When experimental conditions are as follows: the saponification degree of P
507 : 30%, the acidity of the feed solution: pH=2.45, the La
3+ mass concentration: 32 g/L, and KNO
3 concentration of the salting-out agent: 3 mol/L, the extraction and separation properties of La
3+ and Ac
3+ are better. The separation factor (SF
La/Ac) between La
3+and Ac
3+ can reach 67.6. The results of a pilot experiment with the optimized experimental conditions show that the radioactivity in lanthanum oxide is effectively removed. The removal ratio of
227Ac in lanthanum oxide is approximately 89.97%, and the purified product of lanthanum oxide is obtained.