A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil
A new method is presented here for digesting irradiated low-enriched uranium foil targets in alkaline carbonate media to recover 99Mo. This method consists of the electrolytic dissolution of uranium foil in a sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by the precipitation of carbonate, base-insoluble fission products, activation products, and actinides with calcium oxide; most of the molybdenum, technetium, and iodine remain in solution. An electrochemical dissolver and mixing vessel were designed, fabricated, and tested for the processing of a full-sized irradiated foil under ambient pressure and elevated temperature. Over 92% of the fission-induced Mo-99 was recovered in a product solution that was compatible with an anion-exchange column for retaining molybdenum and iodine.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) - Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1396056
- Journal Information:
- Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 54, Issue 2; ISSN 0888-5885
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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