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}
}