Investigation to Determine the Commercial Feasibility and Practicality of the Combined Anion-Cation Fixed Resin Bed System for the Removal of Radionuclides from Milk

摘要

Laboratory investigations conducted on bench scale equipment designed to simulate proposed modifications of the Lebanon, Missouri Sr-90 Removal Plant to provide for continuous removal of both I-131 and Sr-90 from fluid milk demonstrated the feasibility of the proposals. The existing plant was modified by integration of a Dowex 2X8 anion exchange resin column between the raw milk pre-heater and the citric acid injection system. Results of physical and chemical tests indicate physical and compositional changes in the milk parallel those found for the removal of Sr-90 alone. Radiological assays indicate that greater than 99 per cent I-131 removal was realized for in-vitro labeled milk. Average removal efficiencies for Sr-85 and Sr-90 were 94.6 and 90.0 per cent respectively. Average flavor score of the processed milk was 35.9, an average decrease of 1.45 points for the first two full scale runs. The major defect, described variously as 'chemical' or 'medicinal' was traced to the anion effluent milk. The data indicate the plant produced milk of acceptable quality at an estimated manufacturing cost of 6.3 cents per quart as compared to 2.3 cents per quart for Sr-90 removal alone. (Author)