Light-Driven Oxidation of Pu(IV) to Pu(VI) Enables Green and Efficient Pu Recovery

Main observation and conclusion Plutonium (Pu) is a key actinide in nuclear industry and is the only element in the periodic table known to date that could exist in four different oxidation states simultaneously in aqueous solution. Efficient recovery of Pu in nuclear wastes relies greatly on the precise control of its oxidation states. Herein, we introduce a light-driven oxidation approach that could effectively oxidize Pu(IV) to Pu(VI) in acidic solutions without the addition of extra chemical oxidants. The oxidation proceeds via the reaction of Pu(IV) with the oxidative species induced by UV light irradiation. This approach can help with the separation of Pu from other metals and can be further extended to a biphasic extraction system to achieve green and efficient stripping of Pu from an organic solvent.