PURIFICATION OF NUCLEAR-POWER-PLANT DECONTAMINATION SOLUTIONS BY PREPARATIVE-SCALE REACTIVE ADSORPTION

During alkaline, oxidative decontamination of nuclear power plant equi pment a radioactive solution is produced. Owing to the storing difficu lties of radioactive solutions it is necessary to develop a method for the in situ treatment of radioactive, alkaline, oxidative decontamina tion solutions, and for the concentration of radioactive components. R eactive adsorption seems to be promising for this purpose. In reactive adsorption tile radioactive nuclides are sorbed at 95 degrees C by an activated carbon. Under the circumstances the reduction of Mn(VII) to Mn(VI) becomes significant on the surface of the activated carbon, an d MnO2 precipitation occurs in the pores of the adsorbent. Due to the adsorption- ion exchange properties of MnO2 it can uptake the radioact ive isotopes. Simultaneously thr nea precipitating MnO2 layers cover t he surface saturated with radioactive isotopes hereby preventing their desorption, and provide fresh adsorption, ion exchange layer. Under i nactive conditions tile kinetics of MnO2 precipitation was studied in a stirred batch reactor and the sorption of silver was investigated in a chromatographic column. The purification of nuclear power plant dec ontamination solutions was also carried out.