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Title: A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil

Abstract

A new method is presented here for digesting irradiated low-enriched uranium foil targets in alkaline carbonate media to recover 99Mo. This method consists of the electrolytic dissolution of uranium foil in a sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by the precipitation of carbonate, base-insoluble fission products, activation products, and actinides with calcium oxide; most of the molybdenum, technetium, and iodine remain in solution. An electrochemical dissolver and mixing vessel were designed, fabricated, and tested for the processing of a full-sized irradiated foil under ambient pressure and elevated temperature. Over 92% of the fission-induced Mo-99 was recovered in a product solution that was compatible with an anion-exchange column for retaining molybdenum and iodine.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) - Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
OSTI Identifier:
1396056
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 54; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0888-5885
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Brown, Michael A. A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1021/ie503858j.
Brown, Michael A. A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie503858j
Brown, Michael A. 2015. "A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie503858j.
@article{osti_1396056,
title = {A Novel Method for Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Recovery via Anodic Carbonate Dissolution of Irradiated Low-Enriched Uranium Metal Foil},
author = {Brown, Michael A.},
abstractNote = {A new method is presented here for digesting irradiated low-enriched uranium foil targets in alkaline carbonate media to recover 99Mo. This method consists of the electrolytic dissolution of uranium foil in a sodium bicarbonate solution, followed by the precipitation of carbonate, base-insoluble fission products, activation products, and actinides with calcium oxide; most of the molybdenum, technetium, and iodine remain in solution. An electrochemical dissolver and mixing vessel were designed, fabricated, and tested for the processing of a full-sized irradiated foil under ambient pressure and elevated temperature. Over 92% of the fission-induced Mo-99 was recovered in a product solution that was compatible with an anion-exchange column for retaining molybdenum and iodine.},
doi = {10.1021/ie503858j},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1396056}, journal = {Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research},
issn = {0888-5885},
number = 2,
volume = 54,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Wed Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}