A combined TEVA-DGA chromatography chemistry for purifying Pu, Am, and Np from U materials

We present a combined TEVA-DGA chromatography chemistry to purify single-element fractions of Pu, Am, and Np from bulk (mg-level) U materials. Plutonium and Np are first sorbed onto TEVA resin using a 4 + redox adjustment with a hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sodium nitrite treatment, with U + Am eluting directly onto DGA resin. Americium is then purified from U on DGA using 0.1 M HNO 3 as a U eluent. A subsequent TEVA column is used to separate Pu from Np using hydrogen peroxide to oxidize Np into the 5 + oxidation state for elution through TEVA. Our presented TEVA-DGA method is able to produce high-purity, single-element fractions of Pu (90% recovery), Am (98% recovery), and Np (62% recovery) from mg-levels of U, and does so in three days of column chemistry.