Abstract: A process for removing undesirable material such as a radioactive contaminant from an underlying material. A solution containing fluoroboric acid and a material which affects the fluoroboric acid solution oxidation potential (Eh) is contacted with the contaminant material to cause its removal. The contaminant material is removed from the fluoroboric acid solution by contacting the fluoroboric acid solution which has been contacted with the contaminant material with a cation exchange resin.

Abstract: A method for the removal of pollutant ions from an aqueous solution in which they are contained, which method includes the steps of:i) contacting the solution to be treated with particles of a composite magnetic resin which includes magnetic particles embedded in an organic polymeric matrix which either contains, or has attached thereto sites which are selective for the pollutant ions in the presence of other ions it is not desired to remove;ii) separating by magnetic filtration the composite magnetic resin particles from the solution;iii) subjecting the separated composite magnetic resin particles to regeneration using an appropriate regenerant solution;iv) separating the regenerated composite magnetic resin particles from the regenerant solution; andv) recycling the separated composite magnetic resin particles to step (i) of the method.

Abstract: A process for decontaminating radioactive material comprises the step of contacting the material with a dissolving composition to dissolve the contaminants in the material, said composition comprising a dilute solution of about 0.05 molar ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, about 0.1 molar carbonate, about 10 grams per liter hydrogen peroxide and an effective amount of sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the composition to a pH from about 9 to about 11. Also included are the steps of separating the dissolving composition containing the dissolved contaminants from the contacted material and recovering dissolved contaminants from the dissolving composition that has been separated from the material. A composition for dissolving radioactive contaminants in a material, comprising a dilute solution having a basic pH and effective amounts of a chelating agent and a carbonate sufficient to dissolve radioactive contaminants is also provided.

Abstract: A method for the combined removal and destruction of nitrate ions in an electrochemical cell which includes an anode compartment containing electrolyte and an anode, a cathode compartment containing electrolyte and a cathode, and a central compartment containing an anion exchange resin, the central compartment being separated from the anode compartment and the cathode compartment by respective anion permeable membranes, includes the steps of(i) passing an aqueous solution containing nitrate ions through the anion exchange resin in the central compartment of the cell,(ii) passing an electric current through the cell in order to cause the nitrate ions captured on the anion exchange resin to migrate into the anode compartment of the cell, and(iii) destroying the nitrate ions by subjecting them to reduction and oxidation reactions to form nitrogen and oxygen or water.Step (i) may be replaced by passing an anion exchange resin washed with nitrate ion through the central compartment of the electrochemical cell.