Volume reduction and toluene recuperation from liquid scintillation waste

This paper describes the experimental work undertaken to evaluate the recuperation of the liquid scintillator by NaOH treatment and also a distillation process to recovery only the toluene. Recovered toluene was compared with scintillation grade toluene in terms of efficiency and background counts the IPEN - CNEN/SP laboratories as well in a radioimmunoassay laboratory. Both of them certified the quality, of the recovered toluene for radioimmunoassay. The volume reduction attained decreases significantly the costs of treatment for the remaing wastes beyond the profit of the toluene recovered. All procedures including equipment drawing and results are reported. (Author)