Paraffin wax -TOPO has been used for the extraction of Eu 3+, Pu'+, and UO/+ from HNO J solutions at 65°C. The extraction ofEuJ+ increased with increasing TOPO percent in the wax phase but it decreased with increasing HN0 3 or Eu J+ carrier concentrations. The extraction of Pu 4+ at tracer and UO/+ between 2 to 10 mg (U)/ml from 0.5 to 1.0 M HN0 3 was almost quantitative while using 10 or 15% TOPO/wax at an aqueous to wax phase ratio of 1:1. In presence of uranyl ion, the extraction of Eu 3+ decreased under all conditions. The best possible condition has been established and a scheme has been proposed for the separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides, Pu 4 + and UO/+ from their mixtures in laboratory wastes by using non-preequilibrated 15% TOPO/wax. The metal ions were individually stripped using various reagents. The easy phase separation from use of paraffin wax as the diluent makes the separation technique very simple. lNTRODUCTION During the extraction of metal ions, the diluents that have commonly been utilized are xylene, toluene, carbontetrachloride, n-dodecane, etc. 739 740 MATHUR AND CHOPPIN Recently, a solid diluent, paraffin wax, has been used for the extraction of actinides and lanthanides with tributylphosphate (TBP) at elevated temperatures (2). This molten organic diluent has the advantages ofallowing very simple phase separation and has a high boiling point, low vapor pressure and low flash point. In a few other studies, the use of this diluent for the extraction of several lanthanides has also been reported (3-5). Many extractants have been successfully used for the extraction and separation of tetra-and hexavalent actinides even from moderately high concentrations of HN0 3 , but the extraction of trivalent actinides and lanthanides from~1.0 M of HN0 3 is not possible with commonly available reagents. Di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (HDEHP) can efficiently extract trivalent metal ions at pH I and above, and TBP can do so at pH 2 in the presence of large amounts of salting-out agents. The reagents like trialkyl phosphine.oxide (alkyl being a mixture of'C, and C, (6) and diisodecylphosphoric acid (7) have found use in the extraction of trivalent metal ions preferably if the HN0 3 concentrations are 0.5 M or below. In the last decade several bifunctional phosphoryl compounds having phosphonate, phosphinate and phosphine oxide groups have been synthesized and tried for the extraction of trivalent actinides with special emphasis for their separation from nuclear wastes. Amongst them, the compound octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) is found to be a superior extractant (8-10). Also, another class of compound, the diamides, have been synthesized and tested for the same purpose and amongst the several derivatives prepared, N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dibutyltetradecyl malonamide has gained an equal importance (II). Both these reagents can efficiently extract trivalent actinides and lanthanides from 2-3 M HN0 3 • These compounds usually have been synthesized in the laboratorie...