Testing a new cesium-specific ion exchange resin for decontamination of alkaline high-activity waste

Conference · Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:10131025

Bibler, J P; Wallace, R M ^[1]; Bray, L A ^[2]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
2. Battelle Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

Radioactive Cs-137 is a fission produce found in wastes produced by reprocessing fuels from nuclear reactors. The highest concentrations of this isotope in wastes from the reprocessing of defense production reactors are found in the alkaline high-activity waste, a mixture primarily of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide called the supernate. In recent years, much research has been directed at methods for the selective removal and concentration of Cs-137 during waste processing. The approach to the ultimate management of high-activity waste at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is to remove cesium from the supernate, combine it with insoluble sludge formed on neutralization of acidic waste, and convert them both to glass by vitrification in a joule heater melter. A cesium-specific ion exchange resin that will adequately decontaminate the supernate but will not introduce excessive amounts of organic material into the melter has been developed at SRS. The resin has been tested with simulated, both at SRS and at Battelle`s Pacific Northwest Lab, and with actual supernate at SRS. It has consistently shown reliable performance and high selectivity than other organic ion exchangers for cesium ion in those solutions. Repeated cycles on 200 mL. columns using simulated supernate feed and formic acid eluent have established operation parameters for the resin.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035; AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10131025
• Report Number(s): WSRC-RP-89-682; CONF-900210-73; ON: DE92009787
• Resource Relation: Conference: Waste management `90: working towards a cleaner environment: waste processing, transportation, storage and disposal, technical programs and public education,Tucson, AZ (United States),25 Feb - 1 Mar 1990; Other Information: PBD: [1989]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
CESIUM 137
REMOVAL
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
TESTING
RESINS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
RESORCINOL
FORMALDEHYDE
FORMIC ACID
SODIUM NITRATES
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
052001
WASTE PROCESSING