Removal of Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) radioactive waste by enhanced electrokinetic process

Won-Seok Kim, Seongsik Nam, Seeun Chang, Hyunju Kim, Wooyong Um

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2018, 57, 89-96

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2017.08.011

Abstract

Decontamination techniques proposed and used to remove Chalk River unidentified deposit (CRUD) in radioactive waste management. In cases of huge volumes of metal or radionuclides contaminated by CRUD, removal of CRUD by mechanical or chemical decontamination is difficult. An advanced electrokinetic process combined with chemical decontamination was applied to remove CRUD and experimentally evaluated. Oxalic acid was used for CRUD removal, and cobalt (Co) released from the CRUD was transferred to the cathode in an electrokinetic reactor. Results indicate that the combined system is efficient for CRUD removal with enhanced, efficiency by use of the cation exchange membrane and zeolite.