Decomposition for the analysis of radionuclides in solidified cement radioactive waste

Spent ion exchange resins make solid radioactive wastes when mixed with cement as solidifying material that was widely used in securing human environment from radionuclides for at least hundreds years. The cumulative increase of low and medium level radioactive wastes results in capacity problem of temporary storage in some NPPs (Nuclear Power Plants) of Korea around 2008. Radioactive wastes are scheduled to be disposed in a permanent disposal facility in accordance with the Korean Radioactive Wastes Management Program. It is mandatory to identify kinds and concentration of radionuclides immobilized for transporting them from temporary storage in NPPs to disposal facility. Accordingly, the effective sample decomposition prior to radiochemical separation is prerequisite to obtain the analytical data about radionuclides in cement waste forms. The closed-vessel microwave digestion technology among several sample preparation methods is taken into account to decompose cement waste forms. In this study, SRM 1880a (Portland cement) which is known for its certified values was used to optimize decomposition condition of cement waste forms containing nonradioactive ion exchange resins from NPP. With such variables as reagents, time, and power, the variation of the transparency and the color of the solution after closed-vessel microwave digestion can be examine. SRM 1880a is decomposed by suggested digestion procedure and the recoveries of constituents were investigated by ICP-AES and AAS