Member States of the IAEA have pursued activities focused on developing advanced and innovative technologies for safe, proliferation resistant and economically efficient nuclear fuel cycles with the aim of minimizing waste and environmental impacts. Partitioning and transmutation (P&T) is studied principally as the technical means to reduce potential impacts associated with long term radioactive waste disposal and to supplement the main nuclear power system for the Generation II or III light water reactors. For a smooth transition from Generation II/III to IV reactors, it is imperative to deploy a suitable P&T system for the Generation II/III systems. This publication is based on an IAEA coordinated research project on these issues and discusses various aspects of partitioning processes in detail with the aim of exchanging valuable information among those involved in studying and developing viable separation methods.
