Accumulation of uranium, transuranium and fission products on stainless steel surfaces II. Sorption studies in a laboratory model system

Kádár, P.; Varga, K.; Baja, Bernadett; Németh, Zoltán; Vajda, N.; Stefánka, Zsolt; Kövér, L.; Cserny, I.; Tóth, Judit; Pintér, T.; Schunk, J.

doi:10.1007/s10967-011-1038-6

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In all solution matrices studied, Sr and Cs accumulation on the steel surface was reasonably rapid (Figure 3) with significant uptake of both elements occurring within 24 h. Uptake then continued but at a lower rate before an apparent steady state was reached at 30 days. Other radionuclide sorption studies have reported fast deposition rates onto austenitic stainless steel materials from acidic and alkaline pH solution matrices, 13,15 suggesting that plate-out is an inherently fast process.…”

Section: Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…11,12 However, recent investigations on the contamination of pressurized water reactor (PWR) materials have shown sorption phenomena to be more complex, where complete characterization is not possible by utilization of charge principles alone. 13 Here, the elemental composition and morphology of the passive layer were considered to provide chemical control of the accumulation process, which may facilitate sorption from boric acid coolant despite repulsive electrostatic interactions with the surface. The importance of the passive layer condition for the character of contamination strongly suggests that sorbent properties of stainless steels are inherited from this surface oxide film.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…16 The high acidity and strong oxidizing power of the reprocessing liquors likely modify the passivation state of steels used in the plant so that contamination processes here cannot be reasonably expected to be comparable with those described for PWR cooling circuit steel. 13,17 However, this has not been investigated, and many uncertainties surrounding the mechanisms of fission product contamination for reprocessing plant materials also remain. To address these issues (contamination of spent fuel pond and reprocessing plant steels), it is necessary to characterize the surface chemistry of the steel materials in contact with the pond waters/HNO 3 and identify the chemical processes that promote radionuclide uptake and accumulation on steel materials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Cesium and Strontium Contamination of Nuclear Plant Stainless Steel: Implications for Decommissioning and Waste Minimization

et al. 2019

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Stainless steels can become contaminated with radionuclides at nuclear sites. Their disposal as radioactive waste would be costly. If the nature of steel contamination could be understood, effective decontamination strategies could be designed and implemented during nuclear site decommissioning in an effort to release the steels from regulatory control. Here, batch uptake experiments have been used to understand Sr and Cs (fission product radionuclides) uptake onto AISI Type 304 stainless steel under conditions representative of spent nuclear fuel storage (alkaline ponds) and PUREX nuclear fuel reprocessing (HNO3). Solution (ICP-MS) and surface measurements (GD-OES depth profiling, TOF-SIMS, and XPS) and kinetic modeling of Sr and Cs removal from solution were used to characterize their uptake onto the steel and define the chemical composition and structure of the passive layer formed on the steel surfaces. Under passivating conditions (when the steel was exposed to solutions representative of alkaline ponds and 3 and 6 M HNO3), Sr and Cs were maintained at the steel surface by sorption/selective incorporation into the Cr-rich passive film. In 12 M HNO3, corrosion and severe intergranular attack led to Sr diffusion into the passive layer and steel bulk. In HNO3, Sr and Cs accumulation was also commensurate with corrosion product (Fe and Cr) readsorption, and in the 12 M HNO3 system, XPS documented the presence of Sr and Cs chromates.

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Section: Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cesium and Strontium Contamination of Nuclear Plant Stainless Steel: Implications for Decommissioning and Waste Minimization

et al. 2019

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“…Surface characterisation of elemental and isotopic compositions, and valency have been achieved using SIMS, 6 PIXIE, 15 XPS. 16 Confocal and synchrotron m-XRF have been used for 3D analysis of elemental composition of hot environmental particles, 6,17 whilst synchrotron techniques such as m-XRD, m-XANES, m-XCT can determine the micro-scale oxidation states, crystallography and tomography of particles. 4,8,18 However, the availability of all these techniques is relatively limited, and their application can be limited by availability, cost, spatial resolution, and the size of particles that can be analysed.…”

Section: Environmental Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

Characterising the morphological properties and surface composition of radium contaminated particles: a means of interpreting origin and deposition

Wilson

Adderley

Tyler

et al. 2013

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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This research applies a novel combination of optical microscopy and SEM-EDX analysis to characterise the morphology and surface composition of environmental 'hot particles'. These widely available techniques offer a means to help identify the source and origin of particles, the way in 15 which they have been deposited, and the potential for their movement and redistribution. AbstractRadioactive 'hot particles' that occur in the environment present specific challenges for health and environmental regulators as often their small size makes them difficult to detect, and they are easily 20 dispersed and accidentally ingested or inhaled by members of the public. This study of nine hot particles recovered from the beach at Dalgety Bay, UK, uses a combination of gamma spectrometry, imaging microscopy and SEM-EDX in order to characterise their morphology and surface composition, thereby helping to identify their origin and source characteristics. The nine particles analysed showed great heterogeneity in their activities, physical form and elemental composition. 25The particle activities were dominated by 226 Ra and its daughters. Three distinct grouping of particles were identified based on their morphology (artefact, glassy and 'metal-rich'), whilst four distinct groupings (artefact, glassy, angular and porphyric, rounded and highly porous) were identified based on morphology and surface properties as seen in the SEM. Whilst the 'artefact' particles were little altered, the other particles showed evidence of incineration. All particles were in a size and / or 30 2 shape class vulnerable to wind-or water-mediated transport. No correlations were found between morphology and chemical composition. SEM-EDX analysis revealed C, Si, Zn, Fe, Ca are common in the particles together with Ba, Ni, Pb, Cu, Mn and Ti. This is interpreted as the particles being derived from radium containing luminescent paint containing a Zn/S phosphor, a hydrocarbon base and other fillers and additives. Evidence of copper and steel alloys were also present in some 35 particles, whilst one consisted of a hydrocarbon based 'capsule'. The combination of techniques employed here has enabled interpretation of the origins of the radioactive particles and given insights into the potential movement of particles within the local environment.

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“… 10 , 11 However, in recent times, studies on the sorption process were found to be more complex in nature, where complete characterization is not achievable by using charge principles alone. 12 The structure, elemental composition, and thickness of the surface oxide layer may change with the variation in the composition and potential of the passivating medium; 13 therefore, the derived sorbent characteristics are likely to reflect both steel composition, as well as environment chemistry. Hence, the “plate-out” process and corrosion behavior of metal need to be critically investigated under the conditions of a nuclear facility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Mechanism of Cs Accumulation on Stainless Steel Suspended in Nuclear High-Level Liquid Waste

et al. 2022

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In a nuclear facility, the surface of stainless steels (SS) was found to be contaminated during the processing of radioactive liquid waste. Their safe and secure disposal is highly challenging to the nuclear industry. If the fundamental property of steel corrosion could be evaluated, successful decontamination and effective decommissioning strategies could be planned. Although individual radionuclide contamination behavior on SS metal was studied, till date, SS contamination behavior under the exposure of high-level liquid waste (HLLW) was unexplored. In view of this, investigations were carried out to understand the nature of contamination in SS 304L alloy under the exposure of simulated HLLW (SHLLW). For understanding of radionuclide adsorption behavior on structural materials, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been utilized for SS 304L. The solutions were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy to calculate the changes in the elemental composition of the solution and corrosion behavior of SS. The passivation of SS coupons was observed in the presence of HNO 3 due to enrichment of Cr at the surface. The deposition of Cs and Mo was noticed, while SS coupons were exposed to SHLLW. At 3 M HNO 3 and room temperature, the SS surface is mildly passivated by Cr enrichment by formation of a Cr oxide layer on the SS surface. However, the passive layer was not thick enough to attenuate the signal from the substrate below the passivated layer. Hence, Fe 0 and Cr 0 were also found along with Cr 3+ and Fe 3+ (in small quantity). When temperature was elevated to 70 °C, the SS surface was completely covered with the Cr oxide layer, and hence no Cr 0 signal was observed. The small signal of Fe 0 indicated that the signal from the substrate surface is present below the passive layer. During the passivation process, Cr diffused toward the passive layer, thereby producing a Cr-depleted layer below the passive layer (Cr 0 signal was not seen). In the case of SHLLW at 70 °C, the surface was fully covered by Cr 3+ , Mo 6+ , and Cs + . Fe and Ni were not observed at all. This finding will help to design an effective corrosion inhibitor and suitable decontamination agent. In addition to that, this information was found to be useful in designing high-performance novel and modern age reactor materials with improved characteristics.

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Accumulation of uranium, transuranium and fission products on stainless steel surfaces II. Sorption studies in a laboratory model system

Cited by 10 publications

References 7 publications

Cesium and Strontium Contamination of Nuclear Plant Stainless Steel: Implications for Decommissioning and Waste Minimization

Cesium and Strontium Contamination of Nuclear Plant Stainless Steel: Implications for Decommissioning and Waste Minimization

Characterising the morphological properties and surface composition of radium contaminated particles: a means of interpreting origin and deposition

Understanding the Mechanism of Cs Accumulation on Stainless Steel Suspended in Nuclear High-Level Liquid Waste

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