Radioanalytical Chemistry for Automated Nuclear Waste Process Monitoring

Egorov, Oleg B. ; Grate, Jay W. ; Devol, Timothy A.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.)

关键词: 54 Environmental Sciences;    Processing;    37 Inorganic, Organic, Physical And Analytical Chemistry;    Radioactive Wastes;    Wastes;   

DOI  :  10.2172/834843
RP-ID  :  EMSP-81923-2002
RP-ID  :  FG07-01ER63277
RP-ID  :  834843

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This research is directed toward rapid, sensitive, and selective determination of beta- and alpha emitting radionuclides such as 99Tc, 90Sr, and transuranium (TRU) elements in low-activity waste (LAW) processing streams. The overall technical approach is based on automated radiochemical measurement principles. Nuclear waste process streams are particularly challenging due to the complex, high-ionic-strength, caustic brine sample matrix, the presence of interfering radionuclides, and the sometimes variable and uncertain speciation of the radionuclides to be analyzed. As a result, matrix modification, speciation control, and separation chemistries are required for use in automated process analyzers. Significant knowledge gaps exist relative to designing chemistries for such analyzers so that radionuclides can be quantitatively and rapidly separated and analyzed in high ionic strength solutions derived from low-activity waste processing operations. This research is addressing the se knowledge gaps and automated microscale fluid handling techniques will be used to integrate sample modification, chemical separation chemistries, and radiometric detection steps within a single functional process analytical instrument.