Abstract
The long-lived fission product $^{99}Tc$ is present in large quantities in nuclear wastes and its chemical behavior in aqueous solution is of considerable interest. Under oxidizing conditions technetium exists as the anionic species $TcO_4^-$ whereas under the reducing conditions it is generally predicted that technetium will be present as $TcO_2{\cdot}nH_2O$. Technetium oxide was prepared by reduction of a technetate solution with $Sn^{2+}$. The concentration of total technetium and Tc(IV) species in the solutions were periodically determined by separating the oxidized and reduced technetium species using a solvent extraction procedure and counting the beta activity of the $^{99}Tc$ with a liquid scintillation counter. The experimental results show that the rate of oxidation of Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is about $(1.49{\~}1.86){\times}10^{-9} mol/(L{\cdot}d$) under aerobic conditions, but Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is not oxidized under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions the solubility of Tc(IV) oxide in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is equal on the whole.