Adsorption and separation behavior of yttrium and strontium in nitric acid solution by extraction chromatography using a macroporous silica-based adsorbent

To separate 90Y from the fission product 90Sr–90Y group, a silica-based TODGA/SiO2-P adsorbent was prepared by impregnating N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (TODGA) extractant into the macroporous SiO2-P support with a mean diameter of 60 μm. The adsorption behavior of Sr(II) and Y(III) onto TODGA/SiO2-P adsorbent from HNO3 solution and their mutual separation were investigated. Under the experimental conditions, this adsorbent showed high adsorption affinity to Y(III) and weak adsorption to Sr(II). It was found that the adsorption process of Y(III) could be expressed by both of Langmuir monomolecular layer adsorption mode and the pseudo-second order model. From the results of stability experiments, it became clear that TODGA/SiO2-P adsorbent is stable in 3 M HNO3 solution for 1 month contact time at 298 K. Using a column packed with TODGA/SiO2-P adsorbent, Sr(II) and Y(III) were eluted by distilled water and diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) solution, respectively. The separation of Y(III) from Sr(II)–Y(III) group was achieved successfully.