Technetium removal column flow testing with alkaline, high salt, radioactive tank waste

This report describes two bench-scale column tests conducted to demonstrate the removal of Tc-99 from actual alkaline high salt radioactive waste. The waste used as feed for these tests was obtained from the Hanford double shell tank AW-101, which contains double shell slurry feed (DSSF). The tank sample was diluted to approximately 5 M Na with water, and most of the Cs-137 was removed using crystalline silicotitanates. The tests were conducted with two small columns connected in series, containing, 10 mL of either a sorbent, ABEC 5000 (Eichrom Industries, Inc.), or an anion exchanger Reillex{trademark}-HPQ (Reilly Industries, Inc.). Both materials are selective for pertechnetate anion (TcO{sub 4}{sup -}). The process steps generally followed those expected in a full-scale process and included (1) resin conditioning, (2) loading, (3) caustic wash to remove residual feed and prevent the precipitation of Al(OH){sub 3}, and (4) elution. A small amount of Tc-99m tracer was added as ammonium pertechnetate to the feed and a portable GEA counter was used to closely monitor the process. Analyses of the Tc-99 in the waste was performed using ICP-MS with spot checks using radiochemical analysis. Technetium x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) spectra of 6 samples were also collected to determine the prevalence of non-pertechnetate species [e.g. Tc(IV)]