Aqueous mercury treatment technology review for NPDES Outfall 49 Y-12 Plant

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10106377· OSTI ID:10106377

Lanning, J M

During 1950 to 1955, Building 9201-2 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant was used to house development facilities for processes that employed elemental mercury to separate lithium isotopes as part of the thermonuclear weapons production operations. As a result of several spills, this building area and several other areas associated with the separation process were contaminated with mercury and became a source of continuing contamination of the Y-12 Plant discharge water to East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC). Mercury concentrations in the outfalls south of Building 9201-2 have ranged up to 80 ppb, with the highest concentrations being experienced at Outfall 49. As a result, this outfall was chosen as a test site for future mercury treatment technology evaluation and development at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. A literature review and vendor survey has identified several promising materials and technologies that may be applicable to mercury removal at the Outfall 49 site. This document summarizes those findings.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 10106377
• Report Number(s): Y/DZ--1043; ON: DE94003682
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

053003
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL AND THERMAL EFFLUENTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HEALTH AND SAFETY
ION EXCHANGE
MERCURY
PRECIPITATION
REDUCTION
REMEDIAL ACTION
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE WATERS
WASTE PROCESSING
Y-12 PLANT