Initial evaluation of two organic resins and their ion exchange column performance for the recovery of cesium from Hanford alkaline wastes

The contents of Hanford`s 177 underground storage tanks include a mixture of sludge, salt cake and alkaline supernatant liquids. Most of the cesium is expected to be in the aqueous liquids and it is these solutions that are the focus of the cesium ion exchange removal process. This process is being designed with the goal of removing enough cesium so that the resulting low-level waste (LLW) will meet the NRC 10CFR61 class A limits for {sup 137}Cs (1 Ci/m{sup 3}). The overall objective of the WHC program is (1) to evaluate ion exchange materials for the recovery of cesium from alkaline wastes, (2) to determine their loading and elution capacities, (3) to determine the physical life cycle (including radiation and chemical stability) for selected ion exchangers, (4) to determine if basic ion exchange data can be applied to a broad range of tank wastes, and (5) to provide credible laboratory data for engineering-scale evaluation and ion exchange media selection. The goal will be to provide the technology to produce a Class A waste. The results presented in this document provide initial test cesium loading and elution results for ion exchange column operations for two selected ion exchange resins under a limited range of conditions. Data in this report can be found in PNL laboratory record books BNW 54705 and BNW 55026.