Removal of Technetium, Carbon Tetrachloride, and Metals from DOE Properties - Final Report

Mallouk, Thomas E.

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (United States)

关键词: Radioactive Waste Processing Reducing Agents;    Toxic Metals;    Remedial Action;    Remediation;    12 Management Of Radioactive Wastes, And Non-Radioactive Wastes From Nuclear Facilities;   

DOI  :  10.2172/781722
RP-ID  :  DOE/ER/14822
RP-ID  :  FG07-97ER14822
RP-ID  :  781722

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This research is a three year project involving close collaboration between chemists at Pennsylvania State University and materials scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The goal of the project is the development and characterization of supported reducing agents, and solid waste forms derived from them, which will be effective in remediation of aqueous wastes. The work follows the recent discovery that zero-valent metals, such as iron, are effective decontaminants for waste streams containing chlorinated hydrocarbons. Preliminary data, obtained at Penn State and elsewhere, have shown that the same strategy will be effective in reducing soluble compounds containing toxic metals (technetium, lead, mercury, and chromium) to insoluble forms. The Penn State group has prepared a new class of powerful reducing agents, called Ferragels, which consist of finely divided zero-valent metals on high surface area supports. Because the rate of the surface oxidation-reduction reaction depends on available surface area, Ferragels are more effective in every case tested to date than unsupported metals. The project will further develop and investigate the application of these composite materials to problems relevant to the DOE-EM mission, namely the detoxification of waste streams containing technetium, carbon tetrachloride, and toxic metal ions. The Penn State group will work closely with the PNNL group to prepare materials that are compatible with the highly corrosive liquid fraction of Hanford site tank waste, to conduct tests with waste simulants containing technetium, and to formulate and characterize vitrified waste forms derived from these materials.