Electron beam irradiation on cation exchanger used for strontium recovery

摘要

Titanate is promising material for radioactive Sr recovery from liquid waste generated in the nuclear facilities. ~(90)Sr is one of the most important nuclides in order to release the liquid waste into the environment due to its strong beta-ray decay energy. Although the titanate is applied to radioactive Sr decontamination facility, their resistance to irradiations from radioactive elements adsorbed is not widely investigated so far. In this study, durability of a hydrous titanic acid ion exchanger against beta-ray irradiation were evaluated through electron beam irradiation, elution behaviour of Sr after the irradiation and local structural analysis of the titanate. 1.4 MGy irradiation led to 1 % of Sr elution, and the elution could be attributed to defects of O in the titanate induced by the irradiation. Chemical state of Ti of the titanate must be stable up to 2.7 MGy irradiation.