Evaluation of Load Behavior for Select Analytes in Hanford Tank Waste

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research Vol. 61; no. 32; pp. 11691 - 11698
• Main Authors: Westesen, Amy M., Campbell, Emily L., Fiskum, Sandra K., Peterson, Reid A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 17.08.2022; American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Subjects: cesium removal; crystalline silicotitanate; decontamination factor; Hanford waste; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; ion exchange; Kinetics, Catalysis, and Reaction Engineering; tank waste
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c01656
• ISSN: 0888-5885

Crystalline silicotitanate (CST) inorganic ion exchanger is a candidate material for remediation of highly alkaline (pH > 14) aqueous nuclear waste streams containing high sodium concentrations (>5 M). Ion exchange column testing with wastes from Hanford tanks AP-105, AP-107, and AW-102 was carried out to study the uptake of 137Cs to estimate the decontamination factor (DF) value. Additionally, DF values for uptake of Al, Ca, Pb, Np, Pu, U, and Sr were determined and the ion exchange capacity of CST toward these analytes was estimated. Limited data is available on the load behavior of other minor and trace elements with recent CST production lots and this characterization will help improve understanding of the behavior of CST and assist in identifying potential disposition pathways as well as assessing removal capabilities of CST for other components.