Retention of radio-ruthenium in acid processing of nuclear waste

Radioactive combustible waste can be processed with hot concentrated sulfuric acid and the resulting residue material immobilized in glass with retention of volatile radio-ruthenium, if present. In addition, the process features minimal material handling. The process is described in this paper. It combines a sulfuric acid digestion treatment of waste with a drying, desulfation, and classification of the resulting acid residue into a non-dispersible solid of reduced volume. An optional ceramic product can be made without desulfation of the residue