Spent ion exchange resins (IER) are radioactive process wastes for which there is no satisfactory industrial treatment. Supercritical water oxidation could offer a viable treatment alternative to destroy the organic structure of resins and concentrate radionuclides in the liquid phase. Up to now, IER degradation rates higher than 99% were difficult to obtain even using a catalyst or a large oxidant excess. Within the double shell reactor, a co-fuel, isopropyl alcohol has been used to improve degradation rates. Total Organic Carbon reduction rates higher than 99% were obtained thanks to this process, and results are significantly better than those obtained with suspensions of water ＋ ion exchange resins.
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