Paper 82. Recent reactor decontamination experience with LOMI/CAN-DECON and related processes

Engineered Deinococcus radiodurans R1 with NiCoT genes for bioremoval of trace cobalt from spent decontamination solutions of nuclear power reactors

“…The major objective of our study is to address the problem of solid waste generation in the hitherto adopted ion-exchange methodology, which exhibits only a limited selectivity in metal ion pickup during the treatment of spent decontamination solution arising from the decontamination of primary heat transport systems of nuclear power reactors of the water-cooled type. In a typical boiling water reactor (BWR) system, the decontamination solution volume is 1×10 5 l (Taylor 1976;Bradbury et al 1986) with a total Co concentration of≈8.5 nM (0.5 ppb) and a total exposure dose rate of >60 Gy h −1 . A typical Co removal capacity of 200 -nmol g biomass −1 (i.e., 11.79 μg g −1 of biomass) would require about 4.2 kg of biomass for total Co bioremediation from a BWR system.…”

A review of plant decontamination methods: 1988 Update: Final report

“…Elimination of a pre-planned step is more cost effective than attempting a non-planned step and ultimately saves times (33.34). Multiple decontamination steps will result in higher decontamination factors (35). However, the resultant manrem dose reduction factor may not be reduced proportionately due to other undecontaminated source terms located in the same area.…”

“…The strippable coating process selected depended upon the size of the areas involved, the exposed surfaces, desired decontamination levels, and the necessity for the immobilization of contamination to reduce the airborne contamination. Over 33,600 square feet were decontaminated which resulted in an average decontamination factor of 35 T h e contamination levels were reduced by a factor of 750 and the airborne contamination levels were reduced such that the maximum permissible concentration was reduced from 3 to 4 by a factor of ten to 0.3 to 0 . 4 after just one application of the coating.…”