Separation of 137Cs from acidic nuclear waste simulant via an engineered inorganic ion exchanger

An engineered ion exchange material has been prepared for the specific purpose of removing radioactive cesium from acidic waste. Separating the fission product Cs-137 from the bulk of the nuclear waste stream is often advantageous because, after typical cooling times, this isotope is usually the primary source of gamma radiation dose. The engineered ion exchanger was prepared using ammonium molybdophosphate impregnated into hollow glass crystalline microspheres. The microspheres or cenospheres, are refractory compounds of silica and alumina that are derived from the fly ash produced in coal combustion. This paper describes equilibrium experiments that were conducted with the engineered ion exchanger and a simulated acidic waste solution. These tests indicate that the new material has a high capacity and selectivity for cesium in these matrices.