Dynamic Sorption Studies of Organoiodine Species on Silver-Mordenite

摘要

Capture and immobilization of volatile radionuclides such as ~(129)I, ~(85)Kr, ~3H, and ~(14)C resulting from used nuclear fuel (UNF) recycling operations is an essential component of the advanced fuel cycle. Radioiodine is of particular concern in this regard due to its high mobility, long half-life (>15 million years) and the tendency to bio accumulate, concentrating in the thyroid gland to affect human health [1, 2]. The dissolver off-gas (DOG), and the vessel off-gas (VOG) streams account for the majority of the radioiodine emissions. Speciation of radioiodine has significant impact on its capture by sorption (the preferred treatment technology), with the organic iodide species such as methyl iodide posing substantially greater challenge than molecular iodine [3, 4]. Despite the considerable information available in literature, several aspects of radioiodine capture via adsorption need to be investigated for developing a viable capture process based on this technology. Results of dynamic sorption studies conducted to establish the baseline performance of silver-mordenite for capture of methyl iodide are presented in this paper.