Decontamination of NORM Waste Using Radiation-Induced Grafted Polymeric Membrane

Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AAc), styrene (St.) and acrylic acid/styrene (AAc/St) binary monomers into low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) were investigated. The effect of preparation conditions such as inhibitor type and ratio, solvent ratio, monomer composition and concentration and irradiation dose was studied. Half five tenth weight percent ferric chloride was the most suitable inhibitor rather than ammonium ferrous sulfate, cupper chloride and silver chloride. It was found that the most proper conditions are, 40/60 water acetone ratio, (40/60) AAc/St for LDPE, (50/50) AAc/St. for PP at 30 kGy irradiation dose at which high degree of grafting for both low density polyethylene and polypropylene is obtained. Swelling behavior, elongation and tensile strength of the prepared membrane was studied. The possibility of practicable use of such prepared membranes in the treatment of liquid NORM waste that produced from oil and gas production were investigated and discussed. The percent removal of 226Ra, 228Ra, 210Pb and 212Pb from its aqueous waste using LDPE-g-AAc, was 64, 59, 73 and 69, respectively while for LDPE-g-AAc/St it was 38, 33, 43 and 40 respectively, and LDPE-g- St it was 19, 17, 23 and 21, respectively