Abstract: The present invention relates to fluorinated surfaces which exhibit sufficient hydrophilicity and sufficient electropositivity to bind DNA from a suspension containing DNA and permit elution of the DNA from the surface. Generally, the hydrophilic and electropositive characteristics are expressed at the fluorinated surface. Preferred fluorinated surfaces of the present invention include fluorinated Al(OH).sub.3, fluorinated SiO.sub.2 and fluorinated Celite. The fluorinated surfaces of the present invention are particularly useful in processes for purification of DNA from other cellular components. In these processes, a suspension of cellular components is placed in contact with the fluorinated surface, the fluorinated surface is washed to remove all cellular components other than DNA which are bound to the surface, and the bound DNA is eluted from the surface. Lower concentrations of chaotrope in the binding buffer are needed to bind DNA to the fluorinated surfaces.

Abstract: Technetium-99 is quantitatively determined in samples containing uranium using extraction chromatography to remove uranium which otherwise interferes in detecting technetium-99 in low concentrations.

Abstract: Preparation and use of tetra-C-alkyl cobalt dicarbollide for extraction of cesium and strontium into hydrocarbon solvents. Tetra-C-alkyl derivatives of cobalt dicarbollide, Co(C.sub.2 R.sub.2 B.sub.9 H.sub.9).sub.2.sup.- (CoB.sub.2 R.sub.4.sup.- ; R=CH.sub.3 and C.sub.6 H.sub.13) are demonstrated to be significant cesium and strontium extractants from acidic and alkaline solutions into non-toxic organic solvent systems. Extractions using mesitylene and diethylbenzene are compared to those with nitrobenzene as the organic phase. CoB.sub.2 -hexyl.sub.4.sup.- in diethylbenzene shows improved selectivity (10.sup.4) for Cs over Na in acidic solution. In dilute alkaline solution, CoB.sub.2 -hexyl.sub.4.sup.- extracts Cs less efficiently, but more effectively removes Sr from higher base concentrations. A general synthesis of tetra-C-alkyl cobalt dicarbollides is described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an anion-exchange membrane extractor for boric acid separation, which is capable of separating boric acid from the radioactive liquid waste concentrated by evaporation of the radioactive liquid waste produced in the pressurized light water reactor and a method of separating boric acid from the radioactive liquid waste employing the extractor. The onion-exchange membrane extractor for boric acid separation which comprises: an upper cell being equipped with an inlet, an outlet, and fluid-injecting holes; a concentrate cell, an extract cell and a lower cell, each of which is equipped with an inlet, an outlet, fluid-injecting holes, and a supporting shelf on the upper layer; a.

Abstract: A process for extraction of sodium from NORM-containing materials in which the NORM-containing materials are treated with a first acid, forming a spent acid solution comprising dissolved carbonates, salts, iron and/or sulfates, and a NORM-containing solid material. The NORM-containing material is separated from the spent acid solution and treated with concentrated sulfuric acid, dissolving the NORM and forming a NORM-containing acid. Any undissolved solids are removed from the NORM-containing acid which is then saturated with barite. To precipitate the NORM in the NORM-containing acid, water is added, preferably in stages to the barite-saturated NORM-containing acid. Essentially, all NORM-free components in scales, sludges, and soils are separated from the NORM and its carrier. The NORM-containing product, preferably barite, is a fine powder suitable for use in several subsequent disposal technologies.

Abstract: A process for preparation of silicon-32 is provided and includes contacting an irradiated potassium chloride target, including spallation products from a prior irradiation, with sufficient water, hydrochloric acid or potassium hydroxide to form a solution, filtering the solution, adjusting pH of the solution to from about 5.5 to about 7.5, admixing sufficient molybdate-reagent to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution to about 1.

Abstract: A method for purifying Y-90 from a Sr-90/Y-90 "cow" wherein raw Sr-90/Y-90 source containing impurities is obtained from nuclear material reprocessing. Raw Sr-90/Y-90 source is purified to a fresh Sr-90/Y-90 source "cow" by removing impurities by addition of sodium hydroxide and by removing Cs-137 by further addition of sodium carbonate. The "cow" is set aside to allow ingrowth. An HDEHP organic extractant is obtained from a commercial supplier and further purified by saturation with Cu(II), precipitation with acetone, and washing with nitric acid. The "cow" is then dissolved in nitric acid and the purified HDEHP is washed with nitric acid and scrubbed with either nitric or hydrochloric acid. The dissolved "cow" and scrubbed HDEHP are combined in an organic extraction, separating Y-90 from Sr-90, resulting in a Sr-90/Y-90 concentration ratio of not more than 10(E-7), and a metal impurity concentration of not more than 10 ppm per curie of Y-90. The separated Y-90 may then be prepared for delivery.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for generating .sup.90 Y from .sup.90 Sr which includes steps of a) providing a crown-ether bonded silica gel, and b) having .sup.90 Sr stay with the crown-ether silica gel for a period of time. The present invention is also related to a .sup.90 Sr/.sup.90 Y generator for implementing the method, which includes a .sup.90 Sr/.sup.90 Y converting device including the crown-ether bonded silica gel for adsorbing .sup.90 Sr and converting .sup.90 Sr into .sup.90 Y, and an eluting device forcing an eluant to elute the .sup.90 Sr/.sup.90 Y converting device to obtain .sup.90 Y. The generator according to the present invention has advantages of simplicity, reusability, high yield and low cost. The obtained .sup.90 Y by the present method possesses high purity so that it is suitable for nuclear medicine use.

Abstract: In a method of separating fission molybdenum from other fission products, wherein an aqueous solution of the fission molybdenum and the other fission products is supplied to a packet bed of manganese dioxide whereby the fission molybdenum and part of the other fission products are retained in the bed whereas the rest of the fission products is carried away with the aqueous solution and the fission molybdenum is recovered from the fission molybdenum-charged packet bed, the packet bed consists of hydrated manganese dioxide of a particle size of 0.2-0.5 mm from which any finer particles have been removed by a liquid sedimentation procedure.

Abstract: A process for cleaning an inert gas contaminated with a metallic vapor, such as cadmium, involves withdrawing gas containing the metallic contaminant from a gas atmosphere of high purity argon; passing the gas containing the metallic contaminant to a mass transfer unit having a plurality of hot gas channels separated by a plurality of coolant gas channels; cooling the contaminated gas as it flows upward through the mass transfer unit to cause contaminated gas vapor to condense on the gas channel walls; regenerating the gas channels of the mass transfer unit; and, returning the cleaned gas to the gas atmosphere of high purity argon. The condensing of the contaminant-containing vapor occurs while suppressing contaminant particulate formation, and is promoted by providing a sufficient amount of surface area in the mass transfer unit to cause the vapor to condense and relieve supersaturation buildup such that contaminant particulates are not formed.

Abstract: Fission noble metals contained in an insoluble residue and/or a high-level radioactive liquid waste generated in the step of reprocessing spent nuclear fuels are dissolved in nitric acid to prepare a palladium-containing nitric acid solution, which is then brought into liquid-liquid contact with an extracting solvent containing a dialkyl sulfide in which each alkyl group has 4 to 10 carbon atoms as an extractant to extract the palladium component into the extracting solvent. The palladium-containing extracting solvent is brought into liquid-liquid contact with an aqueous thio compound solution or aqueous ammonia solution to strip the palladium component into the aqueous solution. A borohydride compound in added to the palladium-containing aqueous solution to precipitate palladium from this solution by reduction, and metallic palladium is recovered by separating the precipitate from the aqueous solution.

Abstract: Silicon is employed as a reducing agent in an acid bath to adsorb noble metals present as contaminants in the acid. In the manufacture of silicon devices for electronic memory and other devices, polonium-210 is adsorbed by silicon getters to reduce soft error rate attributable to alpha particle emissions from the radioactive polonium. The noble metals in addition to polonium which can be plated onto silicon using the disclosed method are gold, silver, platinum, copper, palladium, mercury, selenium and bismuth.

Abstract: A method for selectively removing yttrium-90 from its parent strontium-90 contained in an environmental sample includes loading the sample onto a column containing a chelating ion-exchange resin capable of retaining yttrium-90; washing the column with a solution capable of removing strontium, calcium, and other contaminants from the yttrium-90 fraction retained on the column; removing excess acetate salts from the column; eluting yttrium-90 solution from the column and adjusting the pH of this solution to about 2.7; filtering the yttrium-90 solution and weighing this solution for gravimetric yield; and, counting the yttrium-90 containing solution with a radiological counter for a time sufficient to achieve the statistical accuracy desired. It is preferred that the chelating ion-exchange resin is a bidente ligand having the chemical name iminodiacetic acid mounted on a divinyl benzene substrate, converted from sodium form to ammonia form.

Abstract: A process for selective separation of sodium-22 from a proton irradiated minum target including dissolving a proton irradiated aluminum target in hydrochloric acid to form a first solution including aluminum ions and sodium ions, separating a portion of the aluminum ions from the first solution by crystallization of an aluminum salt, contacting the remaining first solution with an anion exchange resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of iron and copper are selectively absorbed by the anion exchange resin while aluminum ions and sodium ions remain in solution, contacting the solution with an cation exchange resin whereby aluminum ions and sodium ions are adsorbed by the cation exchange resin, and, contacting the cation exchange resin with an acid solution capable of selectively separating the adsorbed sodium ions from the cation exchange resin while aluminum ions remain adsorbed on the cation exchange resin is disclosed.

Abstract: A process for selective separation of sodium-22 from an irradiated target including dissolving an irradiated target to form a first solution, contacting the first solution with hydrated antimony pentoxide to selectively separate sodium-22 from the first solution, separating the hydrated antimony pentoxide including the separated sodium-22 from the first solution, dissolving the hydrated antimony pentoxide including the separated sodium-22 in a mineral acid to form a second solution, and, separating the antimony from the sodium-22 in the second solution.

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for removing radionuclides from zircon. The process involves thermally decomposing the zircon in the presence of suitable additives, extracting the radionuclides chemically and recovering zirconia and silica. Suitable additives include fluxes, silica and any oxide capable of forming a silicate with silica when heated. Chemical treatments disclosed include leaching with mineral acids and strong organic acids. Methods of stabilizing the radionuclides extracted by leaching are also disclosed. One method involves spray roasting. Another method involves neutralization of leach liquor and recovery of radionuclide solids by filtration or other suitable liquid/solid separation techniques.

Abstract: A target is bombarded with high energy particles to generate a radioisotope, and the radioisotope is preferably extracted by one of the following: combusting the target in oxygen, stopping the bombardment and heating the target, or heating the target by induction. Bombardment may take place through a windowless path, and the radioisotope may be used for PET. The particles used may be deuterons or protons, and .sup.13 N may be generated. .sup.11 C may also be generated from either .sup.11 B or .sup.10 B using protons or deuterons. Combustion may be performed by induction heating and may be controlled by the quantity of oxygen available or the temperature. Combustion may be primarily confined to a surface layer and the target may be reused. The beam energy may be 2.2 MeV or less. Another general aspect includes trapping the oxides of .sup.13 N in a trap. The oxides may be converted into .sup.

Abstract: Technetium is separated from radio-contaminated metal in a three-step process. The contaminated metal is dissolved in an acid solution; the technetium, present in the resultant solution as pertechnetate ions, is quantitatively reduced to its metallic state through a metal displacement (cementation) reaction with a base metal of lower reduction potential; and the desired metal is electrolytically recovered from the solution, substantially free from technetium contamination.

Abstract: A process for extracting technetium values from an aqueous alkaline solution containing at least one alkali metal hydroxide and at least one alkali metal nitrate, the at least one alkali metal nitrate having a concentration of from about 0.1 to 6 molar. The solution is contacted with a solvent consisting of a crown ether in a diluent for a period of time sufficient to selectively extract the technetium values from the aqueous alkaline solution. The solvent containing the technetium values is separated from the aqueous alkaline solution and the technetium values are stripped from the solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fluorinated surfaces which exhibit sufficient hydrophilicity and sufficient electropositivity to bind DNA from a suspension containing DNA and permit elution of the DNA from the surface. Generally, the hydrophilic and electropositive characteristics are expressed at the fluorinated surface. Preferred fluorinated surfaces of the present invention include fluorinated Al(OH).sub.3, fluorinated SiO.sub.2 and fluorinated Celite. The fluorinated surfaces of the present invention are particularly useful in processes for purification of DNA from other cellular components. In these processes, a suspension of cellular components is placed in contact with the fluorinated surface, the fluorinated surface is washed to remove all cellular components other than DNA which are bound to the surface, and the bound DNA is eluted from the surface. Lower concentrations of chaotrope in the binding buffer are needed to bind DNA to the fluorinated surfaces.

Abstract: A method of recovering volatile ruthenium, which is separated and formed by constant potential electrolysis from high-level radioactive liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing step of spent nuclear fuel by purex process, in the form of stable solid. The method comprises electrolyzing at a constant potential a high-level radioactive liquid waste from which palladium has substantially been removed in advance, thereby vaporizing ruthenium, bringing the vaporized ruthenium into contact with an aqueous solution of formic acid to precipitate ruthenium oxide, and separating the precipitate from the aqueous solution of formic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a biological process for recovering plutonium from soils using an iron-reducing bacterium, Bacillus circulans NRRL B-21037. A process for obtaining such bacteria is disclosed. The invention process gives upwards of about 88% yield of plutonium from soils. Further, pertinent gene(s) encoding enzymes obtainable from iron-reducing microbes can be used by placing such gene(s) on a suitable vector and transforming a competent host. The transformed host then can be used in the same manner as the native bacterium.

Abstract: A method for producing UO.sub.2 or (U/Pu)O.sub.2 powder includes obtaining ammonium uranyl carbonate or ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate by treating a starting oxide selected from the group consisting of uranium oxide, plutonium oxide and uranium plutonium mixed oxide, with at least one solution selected from the group consisting of aqueous ammonium carbonate solution and aqueous ammonium hydrogen carbonate solution. The ammonium uranyl carbonate or ammonium uranyl plutonyl carbonate is then heated and in particular calcined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process fop trapping gaseous ruthenium on polyvinyl pyridine, more particularly usable for recovering radioactive ruthenium from irradiated nuclear fuels.This process consists of contacting a gas containing ruthenium in gaseous form with an adsorbent (11b) constituted by a vinyl pyridine polymer or copolymer for fixing the ruthenium to the latter. The gas can be constituted by yapours from a concentrate of fission products containing ruthenium, which has been heated (at 31) in the presence of an oxidizing agent for volatilizing the ruthenium.

Abstract: A process for separating a radionuclide such as radioactive Cu-64 from a mixture containing the radionuclide and a precursor element from which the radionuclide is formed. A weak acid solution is prepared which contains the mixture of the radionuclide and the element. The solution is contacted with a ligand which preferentially forms a complex with the radionuclide relative to the precursor element. The radionuclide complexed to the ligand is separated from the precursor element and released from the ligand by contacting the ligand with an acid.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing selenium-72, separating it from its daughter isotope arsenic-72, and generating multiple portions of a solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprised of selenium-72. The invention provides apparatus which can be located at a site where arsenic-72 is used, for purposes such as PET imaging, to produce arsenic-72 as needed, since the half-life of arsenic-72 is very short.

Abstract: Environmental pollution stemming from the industrial discharge and/or storage of water-soluble thorium compounds is avoided by converting same into essentially innocuous water-insoluble thorium phosphates, notably orthorhombic thorium phosphates, by (i) reacting such water-soluble thorium compounds, e.g., the nitrates and/or chlorides, with a base, for example aqueous ammonia, in an aqueous reaction medium, to precipitate a thorium hydroxide therein, (ii) next reacting the precipitate thus formed with a phosphating compound, e.g., phosphoric acid or a soluble phosphate salt, also in an aqueous reaction medium, to precipitate a thorium phosphate therein, and then (iii) separating such thorium phosphate precipitate.

Abstract: A process for recovering palladium, rhodium and ruthenium from aqueous solutions deriving from the treatment of nuclear fuels and containing also iron and nickel, by reducing carbonylation with carbon monoxide at a pressure up to 1 atmosphere in a nitric acid solution at a pH of between 2 and 4 and at a temperature of between room and 100.degree. C. and reaction times of from 6 to 100 hours.

Abstract: Process for preparing a radionuclide generator for producing Tc-99m or Re-188. A clear solution containing a metallic cation and an anion comprising W-188 or Mo-99 is provided. The metallic cation is present in the solution as a dissolved complex of the metallic cation and a complexing agent and/or the anion being present in the solution as a dissolved complex of the anion and a complexing agent. The dissolved complex(es) are decomposed to form a slurry containing a precipitate of the metallic cation and the anion. The precipitate is transferred to an elutable container of a radionuclide generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the separation of at least one element such as Nb, Sb, Ce+Pr, actinides and elements from groups VIIb and VIII of the Periodic Classification of Elements from aqueous solutions resulting from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels.This process consists of contacting said aqueous solution with a solid resin based on a vinyl pyridine polymer or copolymer and separating from said solution the resin used for fixing said element or elements.The resin is in particular a poly(vinyl-4-pyridine) powder in crosslinked from and the separated elements are e.g. ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, technetium, manganese, cobalt, iron, nickel, cerium and praseodymium.

Abstract: An extraction chromatographic method for the preparation of .sup.90 Y of high chemical and radiochemical purity is disclosed. After an initial purification of a .sup.90 Sr stock solution and a suitable period of .sup.90 Y ingrowth, the solution is passed through a series of strontium-selective chromatographic columns, each of which lowers the .sup.90 Sr content of the mixture by a factor of about 10.sup.3. The .sup.90 Y remaining is freed from any residual .sup.90 Sr, from its .sup.90 Zr daughter, and from any remaining impurities by passing the sample through a final column designed to selectively retain yttrium.

Abstract: A process for removing metals from a waste including uranium and a second metal comprising dissolving the uranium and the second metal in a first aqueous solution, removing the dissolved uranium from the first aqueous solution by redissolving in an organic solvent, stripping the uranium from the organic solvent by redissolving in a second aqueous solution, precipitating the uranium from the second aqueous solution, and removing the second metal from the first aqueous solution.

Abstract: By using AVLIS or other methods capable of providing a depleted isotopic mixture, troublesome isotopes such as Gd.sup.154, Gd.sup.156 and Er.sup.166 are selectively removed from naturally occurring isotopic mixtures, while avoiding the additional costs associated with complete fractionation of the mixture. Such mixtures can be used to provide a burnable nuclear fuel absorber having a selectively depleted isotope or isotopes. In particular, the invention concerns burnable absorbers containing erbium with a depleted 166 isotope, gadolinium with a depleted 156 isotope or with depleted 154 and 156 isotopes, and methods for making such absorbers.

Abstract: A process for destroying alkali metal and alkaline earth metal-containing wastes, such as sodium, by feeding such waste into a molten bath containing a molten salt such as sodium carbonate, or a mixture of salts having a lower melting point, such as a mixture of sodium carbonate and an alkali metal halide, e.g. sodium chloride, or mixtures of alkali metal chlorides, feeding a mixture of carbon dioxide and oxygen into the molten salt bath and reacting the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal such as sodium in the waste with the carbon dioxide and oxygen to form alkali metal carbonate, e.g. sodium carbonate, in the molten salt bath.

Abstract: A process for preparation of silicon-32 is provide and includes contacting an irradiated potassium chloride target, including spallation products from a prior irradiation, with sufficient water, hydrochloric acid or potassium hydroxide to form a solution, filtering the solution, adjusting pH of the solution to from about 5.5 to about 7.5, admixing sufficient molybdate-reagent to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution to about 1.

Abstract: The invention is a process for selectively extracting strontium values from aqueous nitric acid waste solutions containing these and other fission product values. The extractant solution is a macrocyclic polyether in an aliphatic hydrocarbon diluent containing a phase modifier. The process will selectively extract strontium values from nitric acid solutions which are up to 6 molar in nitric acid.

Abstract: A process for selective separation of strontium-82 and strontium-85 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, passing the first ion-containing solution through a first cationic resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in the first ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the first resin, contacting the first resin with an acid solution capable of stripping adsorbed ions from the first cationic exchange resin whereby the adsorbed ions are removed from the first resin to form a second ion-containing solution, evaporating the second ion-containing solution for time sufficient to remove substantially all of the acid

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enrichment of oxygen 18, which comprises the steps of optionally adding a hydrocarbon to a saturated aliphatic ether other than dimethyl ether and/or a saturated cyclic ether as an oxygen 18-containing starting material, irradiating the material(s) with laser light to induce oxygen 18 selective photodecomposition and separating oxygen 18-containing products from the photodecomposed products. Oxygen 18 enriched compounds obtained by the present invention can be used as tracers and the like.

Abstract: A treatment process is provided for removing a scale-forming inorganic salt from a produced brine having a scale inhibitor and the inorganic salt dissolved therein. The process is initiated by adding an interfering agent to the produced brine which disrupts the function of the scale inhibitor, thereby enabling formation of an insoluble inorganic salt precipitate. The precipitate is readily separable from the aqueous brine.

Abstract: A process for selective separation of niobium from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, contacting the first ion-containing solution with a cationic resin whereby ions selected form the group consisting of molybdenum, biobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in a second ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the cationic resin; adjusting the pH of the second ion-containing solution to within a range of from about 5.0 to about 6.0; contacting the pH adjusting second ion-containing solution with a dextran-based material for a time to selectively separate niobium from the solution and recovering the niobium from the dextran-based material.

Abstract: Technetium-contaminated nickel is decontaminated by electrolytically dissolving nickel having a gross beta activity of at least about 74 Bq in a sulfuric acid solution having a pH between about 0.5 and 2.0. The applied voltage is from 2.0 v/cell to 5.0 v/cell for dissolving the nickel and contaminants while cathodically producing hydrogen gas. Technetium (+4) species in the acid solution is oxidized to the technetium (+7) species. The pH of the technetium-containing acid solution is adjusted to between 2.5 to 4.5. Particulates in the acid solution are filtered from the solution for reducing the gross beta activity of the acid solution to less than about 50 Bq/gm. Radioactive ions (including technetium complexes) are sorbed in an anionic exchanger and a cationic exchanger for reducing the gross beta activity of the acid solution to less than about 20 Bq/gm. After verifying the gross beta activity of the acid solution, the acid solution is either recycled or charged to a electrowinning step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing a radiodiagnostic comprising a gaseous radionuclide formed by radioactive decay of a parent nuclide, by eluting with a suitable eluent the radioactive daughter nuclide from the parent nuclide provided ionically on a carrier, by using as a carrier for the parent nuclide ions a membrane, in particular an ion exchange membrane, past which the eluent is made to flow.The invention further relates to a radionuclide generator suitable for using said method.

Abstract: Methods and devices for the separation of a radioactive rare earth metal isotopes or a radioactive isotope of yttrium or scandium from their alkaline earth metal precursors with ionizable dibenzo ether derivatives.

Abstract: A process for recovering the chelating or complexing agents, particularly ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA), used in chemical cleaning and decontamination operations performed to clean steam generators, especially nuclear powered steam generators, is provided. The EDTA, metal and radionuclide-containing aqueous waste stream is, optionally, first treated to remove the metals and radionuclides. The pH of the resulting liquor is then adjusted to less than 2.0, causing the precipitation of acid EDTA. The solid acid EDTA is recovered for reuse or disposal, as desired. The remaining liquid is treated as required to permit environmental disposal. Removal of the metals and radionuclides can be by sulfide precipitation or ion exchange and may be conducted before or after precipitation of the acid EDTA.

Abstract: Methods for producing selenium-72, separating it from its daughter isotope arsenic-72, and generating multiple portions of a solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprised of selenium-72.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing the volume of a radioactive composition by separating a radioactive first component from a second component of the radioactive composition. The method includes directing the radioactive composition into a reaction zone. The reaction zone includes a molten bath, wherein oxidation of a component of the radioactive composition in the molten bath will cause separation of the radioactive first component from the second component. An oxidizing agent is directed into the molten bath, which oxidizes a component of the radioactive composition, whereby the radioactive first component is separated from the second component. The net volume of the radioactive composition is thereby reduced.

Abstract: A process for selective separation of germanium-68 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, contacting the first ion-containing solution with a cationic resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in a second ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the first resin, adjusting the pH of the second ion-containing solution to within a range of from about 0.7 to about 3.

Abstract: A process for separating a feed mixture of zirconium and petroleum coke containing traces amount of radioative materials by flotation process utilizing a plurality of flotation cells. The process comprises grinding the feed mixture, slurrying the ground feed mixture with water, treating the slurry with a flotation agent and a collector for the coke and subjecting the treated slurry to air sparging and agitation to create an overflow and an underflow. The overflow is then filtered to collect substantially zircon-free coke for further processing.

Abstract: The invention is a method for the encapsulation of soluble radioactive waste chloride salts containing radionuclides such as strontium, cesium and hazardous wastes such as barium so that they may be permanently stored without future threat to the environment. The process consists of contacting the salts containing the radionuclides and hazardous wastes with certain zeolites which have been found to ion exchange with the radionuclides and to occlude the chloride salts so that the resulting product is leach resistant.

Abstract: Contaminated surface layers are decontaminated by treatment with an aqueous fluorine base-containing decontamination solution. The aqueous decontamination solution contains 0.05 to 50 Mol of decontamination agent per liter, and the decontamination agent preferably comprises at least one substance from the group.Iadd.: .Iaddend..[.colon.]. hexafluorosilicate acid, fluoroboric acid, and the salts of both of these. The decontamination solution produces the required high decontamination factors on metallic substances and brickworks as well. The used decontamination solution can, after regeneration, be recycled into the decontamination process.Release of decontaminated material by dissolution of the surface layer of the decontaminated objects provides decontamination of objects having complicated and hard-to-measure geometries.The decontamination agent (HBF.sub.4 -acid) is advantageously produced from contaminated boric acid from pressurized water reactor wastes by reaction with fluoride or hydrofluoric acid.