Other

Herbert G Sutter

Pedro B Macedo

Robert K Mohr

Catherine J Simmons

Aaron Barkatt

A liquid containing radioactive ions is purified (decontaminated) by contacting the same with an inorganic ion exchange composition having ion exchange sites which can be occupied by the radioactive ions from the liquid. The ion exchange composition is a mixture of an ion exchange medium and an additive which is relatively inert to the ion exchange process and which is a sintering aid for the ion exchange medium designed to lower the sintering temperature of the ion exchange composition. The ion exchange composition may be disposed within a suitable container (e.g., cannister), e.g., made of 304L stainless steel or Inconel 601 and the ion exchange process may be carried out in such container. Alternatively, the ion exchange medium can be employed without being previously admixed with the additive. The additive, if desired, can be admixed at a later stage with the contaminated medium. Thereafter, the mixture may be sintered and disposed of in any desirable manner as by underground burial of the spent mixture within the container. Also, the container may be placed within a suitably designed furnace for carrying out the ion exchange process, sintering of the ion exchange composition and its safe disposal. Methods are also described for making a homogeneous mixture of the ion exchange medium and the additive which, for example, have a certain defined density and particle size relationship.

Purification of contaminated liquid

A method for separating and purifying cations by ion exchange with regenerable porous glass. More specifically, the method is for decontaminating toxic waste streams such as a radioactive waste streams and concentrating the radioactive cations contained therein which comprises passage of the waste stream through an ion exchange medium of porous silicate glass or silica gel. In one embodiment, a liquid nuclear waste stream is passed through an ion exchange column containing porous silicate glass or silica gel having a plurality of .tbd.Si--O--Z groups wherein Z represents a non-radioactive cation (hydrogen, alkali metals, Group Ib metals and ammonium cations, and mixtures thereof) to displace the non-radioactive cations of the silicate glass or silica gel by the radioactive cations of the waste stream. Thereafter, the ion exchange medium is contacted with an aqueous solution of an acid to strip the radioactive cations therefrom and the stripped ion exchange medium is regenerated. The stripped ion exchange medium can be regenerated by contacting it with an aqueous basic solution of an alkali metal or ammonium ion. Additional liquid radioactive waste is contacted with the regenerated ion exchange medium to decontaminate an additional volume of liquid waste.

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Gaithersburg, MD, United States of America

Herbert G Sutter