An assessment of inorganic ion-exchange materials for the removal of strontium from simulated Hanford tank wastes

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Separation Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1081/SS-100100750· OSTI ID:682258

Sylvester, P; Behrens, E A; Graziano, G M; Clearfield, A ^[1]

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1. Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

Several inorganic ion-exchange materials were evaluated for the removal of strontium from two simulated Hanford tank wastes (NCAW and 101SY-Cs5) using static batch experiments. Sodium titanium silicate, Na{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3}SiO{sub 4} {center_dot} 2H{sub 2}O (NaTS), was the best material in NCAW with a K{sub d} of 2.7 x 10{sup 5} mL/g at a volume-to-mass ratio of 200:1. In the 101SY-Cs5 simulant, strontium extraction was more difficult due to the presence of complexants and consequently K{sub d}s were greatly reduced. Sodium nonatitanate, NaTi, performed best in the presence of these complexants and gave a K{sub d} of 295 mL/g, though none of the materials performed particularly well. Pellets suitable for column studies were synthesized and the ion exchangers evaluated in column studies. Breakthrough curves correlated well with the K{sub d}s obtained from batch experiments with the sodium titanium silicate performing best in NCAW and a pelletized form of sodium nonatitanate performing best in 101SY-Cs5. Both the sodium titanate and the sodium titanosilicate performed better than IONSIV IE-911, a commercially available ion exchanger, in the NCAW simulant, and consequently could be used for the removal of {sup 90}Sr from highly alkaline tank wastes.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 682258
• Journal Information: Separation Science and Technology, Journal Name: Separation Science and Technology Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 34; ISSN 0149-6395; ISSN SSTEDS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
HANFORD RESERVATION
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE
PERFORMANCE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
REMEDIAL ACTION
STORAGE FACILITIES
STRONTIUM