Treatment of Radioisotope Production Waste by Using Anion Exchange Resin

Production of radioisotope 99Mo would cause radioactive waste containing a mixture of uranium and fission products. The treatment separates the uranium from the fission products by using anion exchange resin. Anion resin would selectively bind the uranium in the form of complex uranium. A simulation study of waste treatment with the uranium concentration of 0.05 g /L has been carried out using anion exchange resin amberlite IRA-400Cl by complexing the uranium with Na2CO3. The parameters which were studied are the amount of Na2CO3 and contact time. The optimal sorption of uranium obtained in the addition of Na2CO3. 0.75 gram (U / Na2CO3 ≈ 0.067), 60 minute contact time with the uranium sorption of 88.6 %. weight. The IRA-400(Cl) resin that contains uranium was solidified polymer-waste was determined with measurements of density, compressive strength, and leaching rate. The density was determined by measuring its weight and volume polymer-waste, the compressive strength was measured with Paul Weber compactor and the leaching rates was determined by soxhlet apparatus. The results of measurements showed that the optimum waste content is 20 % weight, the density is 1.036 g/cm3 the compressive strength is 12.153 kN/cm2, and leaching of uranium out from the polymer-waste not detected. (author)