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THE REMOVAL OF CESIUM AND STRONTIUM FROM CONDENSATE WASTES WITH CLINOPTILOLITE

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4098353
Effective removal of Cs+ and Sr/sup 2+/ from simulated and actual waste solutions was achieved by adsorption on beds of clinoetilolite. Removal of Cs/ sup +/ and Sr/sup 2+/ to C/C/sub 0/ values of 10/sup -2/ to 10/sup -4/was attained at flow rates of 0.5 to 6.3 gal/ft/sup 2/ min. Small amounts of suspended solids or organic material were found in the actual wastes. The suspended matter contains radioisotopes which are not removed by ion exchange on clinoptilolite. The organic material tends to foul the clinoptilolite--- particularly at low pH. Cesium capacities of lO5 meq and 19 meq/100 g of clinoptilolite were measured for 0.1 M Cs/sup +/ and 0.001 M Cs/sup +/ respectively, in 1 M Na/sup +/ solutions. The volume put through a clinoptilolite column to 50% breakthrough was constant for Cs/sup +/ concentrations below 0.001 M in l M Na/sup +/. A 50-g column of clinoptilolite decontaminated trace Cs/sup +/ from 50,000 column volumes of tap water containing 24 ppm total Ca/sup 2+/ and Mg/sup 2+/. The C/C/sub 0/ values were 0.0002 at 2.7 gal/ft/sup 2//min and 0.01 at 6.3 gal/ft/sup 2//min. Clinoptilolite cesium capacity for decontaminating this tap water was more than 30 times the capacity of a commercial ion exchange resin. (auth)
Research Organization:
General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
DOE Contract Number:
AT(45-1)-1350
NSA Number:
NSA-15-008394
OSTI ID:
4098353
Report Number(s):
HW-66276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English