Separation technologies for the treatment of Idaho National Engineering Laboratory wastes
- Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Currently about 6.8 million L of acidic, radioactive liquid waste that is not amenable to calcination, and about 3800 m{sup 3} of calcine exist at the ICPP. Legal drivers (court orders) and agreements between the state of Idaho, the U.S. Navy, and DOE exist that obligate INEL to develop, demonstrate, and implement technologies for treatment and interim storage of the radioactive liquid and calcine wastes. Per these agreements, all tank waste must be removed from the underground liquid storage tanks by the year 2012, and high-level radioactive waste must be treated and removed from INEL by 2035. Separation of the radionuclides from the wastes, followed by immobilization of the high-activity and low-activity fractions in glass and grout, respectively, is the approach preferred by INEL. Technologies to remove actinides (U, Np, Pu, and Am), Cs, Sr, and possibly Tc from highly acidic solutions are required to process INEL wastes. Decontamination of the wastes to NRC Class A low-level waste (LLW) is planned. Separation and isolation of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cr) from the highly radioactive waste streams may also be required. Remediation efforts will begin in FY 1997 to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and radionuclides (Cs and Sr) from groundwater located at the Test Area North facility at INEL. A plume of VOCs and radionuclides has spread from the former TSF-05 injection well, and a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Conservation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) remediation action is under way. A Record of Decision was signed in August 1995 that commits INEL to remediate the plume from TSF-05. Removal of Sr and Cs from the groundwater using commercially available ion-exchange resins has been unsuccessful at meeting maximum contaminant levels, which are 119 pCi/L and 8 pCi/L for Cs and Sr, respectively. Cesium and Sr are the major contaminants that must be removed from the groundwater.
- Research Organization:
- Science, Inc., Anaheim, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 527205
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-28461-Rev.1; CONF-970148-Rev.1; ON: DE97052111; TRN: 97:015048
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Efficient Separations and Processing (ESP) Crosscutting Program FY 1997 technical exchange meeting, Gaithersburg, MD (United States), 28-30 Jan 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the efficient separations and processing crosscutting program 1997 technical exchange meeting; Gephart, J.M. [ed.]; PB: 211 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
25 Years Of Environmental Remediation In The General Separations Area Of The Savannah River Site: Lessons Learned About What Worked And What Did Not Work In Soil And Groundwater Cleanup
Design considerations for pump-and-treat remediation based on characterization of industrial injection wells: Lessons learned from the groundwater interim action at the test area north of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory