Duolite™ GT-73 ion exchange resin routinely reduces the mercury content of a waste water stream to less than the permitted level of 10 ppb. Effluent concentrations from the ion exchange facility (IEF) are consistently between 1 to 5 ppb, even though the feed contains a varying concentration of mercury (0.2 to 70 ppm). Two operational problems have been encountered at that facility, however. Firstly, the stated capacity of the resin for mercury was not being achieved. The abnormally low capacity was traced to analytical laboratory waste which was intermittently treated by the resin. That waste contained hydrochloric acid, stannous chloride, and potassium permanganate, among other chemicals, which presumably eluted sorbed mercury from the resin and also oxidized the thiol (SH) functional groups on the resin and rendered them inactive. The net effect was that the resin had to be replaced more frequently than anticipated. Secondly, the IEF was temporarily shut down because the mercury content of the waste water could not be reduced to below the permitted level, even with fresh resin. That problem was caused by slow settling solids composed mainly of iron which apparently adsorbed some of the mercury and allowed it to pass through the resin untreated. The solids were presumably a result of processing waste water abnormally high in iron which may have co-precipitated with mercury and other elements in the feed and caused a residual buildup of solids throughout the IEF. The problem was remedied by installing a 0.2 µm cartridge filter between the feed tank and the columns.

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A systematic model-based approach is used for development of an efficient carousel ion-exchange process for the selective removal of radioactive 137Cs+ from alkaline nuclear waste solutions. Equilibrium data for two resorcinol−formaldehyde (R−F) cation-exchange resins are correlated by an empirical equation of the Freundlich−Langmuir type over cesium/sodium concentration ratios of 10-9 to 10-2 and sodium concentrations of 1 to 6 N. The standard deviations are 3.5 and 6.6%, respectively. The data cannot be accurately described by mass action equations. A detailed rate model, developed in this study for the periodic countercurrent multicolumn operation of carousel systems, is used with the equilibrium correlations to simulate cesium breakthrough curves from R−F resin columns. Results show that accuracy of the predicted breakthrough curves are directly related to the accuracy of the isotherm data and correlations. Cesium breakthrough position is generally predicted to within 5% or less for 10 of 13 runs over linear superficial velocities of 0.16 to 8.8 cm/min, column lengths of 3.14 to 118.5 cm, and particle radii of 145 to 200 μm. One run shows later breakthrough than predicted as a result of a low potassium concentration in the feed. Two other runs show early breakthroughs as a result of channeling in poorly packed columns of a carousel system. Despite the channeling, strong thermodynamic self-sharpening effects helped establish constant pattern waves in the downstream columns. A case study for a pilot-scale carousel unit shows that 100% utilization of cesium capacity and maximum throughput can be achieved while containing the mass transfer zone within the downstream columns. Since intraparticle diffusion controls spreading of the breakthrough curves, reducing the particle radius from 200 to 145 μm increases throughput by 40%.

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When immobilizing into borosilicate glass the radionuclides in the caustic high-level radioactive wastes stored in the USA, the soluble fission product Cs-137 has to be removed from supernates of the wastes. In the current processes zeolites or an organic precipitant will be used to remove the Cs. These are then treated further and mixed with the radioactive sludges and vitrified into a borosilicate glass. This paper describes the vitrification of a mixture resulting from using a new process to remove Cs from the caustic supernate. A resorcinol based organic ion exchange resin is used. This resin was then mixed with sludge and frit and vitrified. Using an organic ion exchange resin rather than zeolite or the organic precipitant has certain advantages. For example, use of the zeolite increases the amount of glass to be made and use of the organic precipitant produces benzene as a secondary waste stream. Results in the paper indicate that a mixture of the resin, sludge and frit can be successfully vitrified in a joule-heated, slurry fed melter. However, when resin is present in the feed, the glass becomes less durable due to the increased amount of Fe(II) caused by reduction of Fe(III) in the melt. Based on the durabilities of other waste glasses, this glass is still suitable as a canistered wasteform.