Purification of moderately active wastewater solutions of fission products by co-precipitation

The authors report a study which aimed at developing a purification treatment for moderately active wastewater solutions of fission products by using co-precipitation. As the considered wastewater solutions are acid, the authors first studied different treatments which do not require an alkaline neutralisation. As results were not satisfying in terms of efficiency, the authors studied the best carryover conditions of strontium 90 by a calcium or strontium phosphate, and then studied the influence of a second precipitation of nickel ferrocyanide on the decontamination of caesium and other beta emitters. The wastewater solutions used is this study come from a plutonium extraction pilot plant in Fontenay-aux-Roses