Enhanced 99 Tc retention in glass waste form using Tc(IV)-incorporated Fe minerals

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.09.007· OSTI ID:1398220

Um, Wooyong; Luksic, Steven A.; Wang, Guohui; Saslow, Sarah ; Kim, Dong-Sang ; Schweiger, Michael J.; Soderquist, Chuck Z.; Bowden, Mark E. ; Lukens, Wayne W. ; Kruger, Albert A.

Technetium (99Tc) immobilization by doping into iron oxide mineral phases may alleviate the problems with Tc volatility during vitrification of nuclear waste. Reduced Tc, Tc(IV), substitutes for Fe(III) in the crystal structure by a process of Tc reduction from Tc(VII) to Tc(IV) followed by co-precipitation of Fe oxide minerals. Two Tc-incorporated Fe minerals (Tc-goethite and Tc-magnetite/maghemite) were prepared and tested for Tc retention in glass melt samples at temperatures between 600 – 1,000 oC. After being cooled, the solid glass specimens prepared at different temperatures were analyzed for Tc oxidation state using Tc K-edge XANES. In most samples, Tc was partially oxidized from Tc(IV) to Tc(VII) as the melt temperature increased. However, Tc retention in glass melt samples prepared using Tc-incorporated Fe minerals were moderately higher than in glass prepared using KTcO4 because of limited and delayed Tc volatilization.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1398220
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-123344; 830403000
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 495; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English