Analysis of TRU waste for RCRA-listed elements

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/251293· OSTI ID:251293

Mahan, C; Gerth, D; Yoshida, T ^[1]

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1. and others

Analytical methods for RCRA listed elements on Portland cement type waste have been employed using both microwave and open hot plate digestions with subsequent analysis by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) and cold vapor atomic absorption and fluorescence (CVAA/CVAFS). Four different digestion procedures were evaluated including an open hot plate nitric acid digestion, EPA SW-846 Method 3051, and 2 methods using modifications to Method 3051. The open hot plate and the modified Method 3051, which used aqua regia for dissolution, were the only methods which resulted in acceptable data quality for all 14 RCRA-listed elements. Results for the nitric acid open hot plate digestion were used to qualify the analytical methods for TRU waste characterization, and resulted in a 99% passing score. Direct chemical analysis of TRU waste is being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in an attempt to circumvent the problems associated with strong acid digestion methods. Technology development includes laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), dc arc CID atomic emission spectroscopy (DC-AES), and glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). Analytical methods using the Portland cement matrix are currently being developed for each of the listed techniques. Upon completion of the development stage, blind samples will be distributed to each of the technology developers for RCRA metals characterization.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 251293
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-96-1662; CONF-960804-32; ON: DE96011266; TRN: 96:015227
• Resource Relation: Conference: SPECTRUM `96: international conference on nuclear and hazardous waste management, Seattle, WA (United States), 18-23 Aug 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
SAMPLE PREPARATION
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
WIPP
QUALITY ASSURANCE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
ANTIMONY
ARSENIC
BARIUM
BERYLLIUM
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
LEAD
MERCURY
NICKEL
SELENIUM
SILVER
THALLIUM
VANADIUM
ZINC
EXPERIMENTAL DATA