A pilot plant for the removal of cationic fission products from milk: I. Design and construction

SummaryAs previously described, the process consists essentially of the passage of milk at pH 5·2–5·3 through an ion exchange resin charged with a suitable mixture of the ions of Ca, K, Na and Mg.The nutritive quality of plant-treated milk was assessed in feeding experiments with weanling rats and 1- to 2-day-old piglets.No deleterious effect was found with rats, but tests with piglets indicated that the nutritive quality of the milk was impaired as evidenced by a higher mortality.Post mortem examinations revealed no specific cause of death.The use of hydrochloric acid instead of citric acid resulted in a lower mortality, though not as low as that found in piglets receiving untreated milk.The difference in mortality between animals receiving treated and untreated milk was not consistent and was not found in some experiments.It is concluded that the milk is unsuitable for piglets and that its suitability for human infants remains in question.

A pilot plant for the removal of cationic fission products from milk. III. Nutritional evaluation of the product

Braude¹,

Glascock²,

Newport³

et al. 1969

The removal of fission products from milk: The use of the baby monkey (Macaca irus) for the nutritional evaluation of milk treated by 2 processes

Cohen

Ashworth

Glascock³

et al. 1973

Self Cite

SummaryThe nutritional quality of milk treated by 2 previously described processes for the removal of cationic fission products has been evaluated by the use of the baby monkey (Macaca irus).The first process involves acidification of the milk to pH 5·2–5·3 and, when the treated milk was tested on baby monkeys, it was found to be nutritionally unsatisfactory. This result confirmed those previously obtained with baby pigs, from which it was concluded that the process cannot be recommended for the treatment of milk intended for young babies.Two resin beds are used in the second process and no acidification is involved. Milk treated by this process was first tested on baby rats and pigs and then on baby monkeys. No change in the nutritional value of the milk was detected and it was concluded that this is the process which should be used if it should ever become necessary to remove fission products from milk intended for young babies.

A pilot plant for the removal of cationic fission products from milk: II. Efficiency of the process and composition of the product

Glascock¹,

Bryant²

1968

Self Cite

AS previously described, the process consists essentially of the passage of milk at pH 5-2-5-25 through an ion exchange resin charged with a suitable mixture of the ions of Ca, K, Na and Mg.When citric acid was used for reduction of the pH and 30 resin bed volumes (r.b.v.) were treated, the concentration of residual 85 Sr was reduced to 2-4 % whether it had been introduced in vivo or in vitro. There was no evidence that repeated use of the resin bed resulted in diminished radiochemical efficiency.About the same efficiency of removal of 133 Ba was obtained but this efficiency was achieved with 137 Cs only if not more than 15 r.b.v. were treated. If 30 r.b.v. were treated the concentration of residual 137 Cs was as much as 30%.When hydrochloric acid was substituted for citric acid the residual concentration of 85 Srwas 1 1 % .Analyses of milks processed after adjustment of pH with either citric or hydrochloric acid showed the products to be satisfactory. The only important constituent lost was thiamine. Concentrations of heavy metals remained well below maximum values. Although the flavour of milk was detectably changed by the treatment it was still acceptable.The results are discussed in relation to the problem of achieving maximum decontamination and to the design of a large scale plant.