SEPARATION OF CS-137 FROM NUCLEAR WASTE

Sodium zirconate is one member of a family of new inorganic ion exchange materials which have high affinity for all actinides and fission product cations except for Cs+. A combination of cold, tracer and high level liquid waste experiments with sodium zirconate has shown that 70-80 and 80-100% of the Cs+ in high level liquid waste remains in solution following batch or column equilibration, respectively. The fact that 137Cs can be obtained in relatively pure form permits subsequent conversion directly to an insoluble radiation source. This is of prime importance in areas such as sewage sludge sterilization via γ-ray irradiation. © 1979.