Environmental biogeochemistry of chelating agents and recommendations for the disposal of chelated radioactive wastes
The environmental chemistry of the three most common aminopolycarboxylic acid chelating agents, NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid), EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), and DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) is reviewed. This review includes information on their persistence in the environment, as well as their tendency to form complexes with actinides. Data on the sorption of chelated actinides by geologic substrates and on the uptake of chelated actinides by plants are also presented. Three different technical options for disposing chelated low-level radioactive wastes are proposed: bind the solidified chelated waste in some kind of solid matrix that has a slow leach rate and bury the waste in a ''dry'' disposal site; substitute biodegradable chelating agents in the decontamination reagent for the chelating agents that are persistent in the environment; chemically or thermally degrade the chelating agents in the waste prior to disposal. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each of these options are discussed. 81 refs.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle, Columbus Lab, Ohio
- OSTI ID:
- 5141228
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Chem. Waste Manage.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Chem. Waste Manage.; (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN NCWMD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
510300 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDES
AMINO ACIDS
BIODEGRADATION
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHELATING AGENTS
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
DISSOLUTION
DRUGS
DTPA
EDTA
ELEMENTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
LEACHING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NTA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORNL
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
PLANTS
PROCESSING
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOLYSIS
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RECOMMENDATIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLIDIFICATION
THERMAL DEGRADATION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES