• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 2015

For the analysis of ⁹⁰Sr, which is a pure beta emitter, radiochemical separation from the main interfering elements such as Ca, Ba and Ra is required due to their similarity in chemical behavior to strontium. This study describes a radioanalytical procedure using extraction chromatography for separating Sr from interfering elements. The maximum capacity of the resin for Sr was approximately 6 mg per 1.5 mL of bed volume (BV). The recovery of Sr on the resin 1.5 mL (BV) was quantitative for the calcium level of 200 mg at the flow rate of 1 mL min^-1. However the chemical yield declined by increasing the flow rate by up to 5 mL min^-1 even at the calcium level of 200 mg. When using the same BV of Sr resin, the performance of the resin was enhanced as the cross-sectional area of the Sr resin column is small.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Transition metal based spent catalysts (Ni-Mo and Co-Mo), which were scrapped from the petrochemical industry, were reused for the removal processes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Especially the optimum regeneration procedures were determined using the removal efficiency of VOCs. In this work, the spent Ni-Mo and spent Co-Mo catalysts were pretreated with different physic-chemical treatment procedure: 1) acid aqueous solution, 2) alkali solution, 3) chemical agent and 4) steam. The various characterization methods of spent and its regenerated catalysts were performed using nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). It was found that all spent catalysts were found to be potentially applicable catalysts for catalytic oxidation of benzene. The experimental results also indicated that among the employed physico-chemical pretreatment methods, the oxalic acid aqueous (0.1 N, $C_2H_2O_4$) pretreatment appeared to be the most efficient in increasing the catalytic activity, although the catalytic activity of spent Ni-Mo and spent Co-Mo catalysts in the oxidation of benzene were greatly dependent on the pretreatment conditions. The pretreated spent catalysts at optimum condition could be also applied for removing other aromatic compounds (Toluene/Xylene).

• Resources Recycling
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.23-29
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• 2018

Recently rapid economic growth and technological development have led to an increase in the generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). As the amount of electric and electronic waste generated increases, the importance of processing waste printed circuit boards (PCB) is also increasing. Various studies have been conducted to recycle various valuable metals contained in a waste PCB in an environmentally friendly and economical manner. To get anode slime containing Ag and Au, Anode copper prepared from PCB scraps was used by means of electro-refining. Ag and Au recovery was conducted by leaching, direct reduction, and ion exchange method. In the case of silver, the anode slime was leached at 3 M $HNO_3$, 100 g/L, $70^{\circ}C$, and Ag was recovered by precipitation, alkali dissolution, and reduction method. In the case of gold, the nitrate leaching residues of the anode slime was leached at 25% aqua regia, 200 g/L, $70^{\circ}C$, and Au was recovered by pH adjustment, ion exchange resin adsorption, desorption and reduction method. The purity of the obtained Au and Ag were confirmed to be 99.99%.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.847-870
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• 2023

The safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste requires accurate predictions of the long-term geochemical behavior of radionuclides. To achieve this, the present study was conducted to model geochemical behaviors of uranium (U), plutonium (Pu), and palladium (Pd) under different hydrogeochemical conditions that represent deep groundwater in Korea. Geochemical modeling was performed for five types of South Korean deep groundwater environment: high-TDS saline groundwater (G1), low-pH CO₂-rich groundwater (G2), high-pH alkaline groundwater (G3), sulfate-rich groundwater (G4), and dilute (fresh) groundwater (G5). Under the pH and Eh (redox potential) ranges of 3 to 12 and ±0.2 V, respectively, the solubility and speciation of U, Pu, and Pd in deep groundwater were predicted. The result reveals that U(IV) exhibits high solubility within the neutral to alkaline pH range, even in reducing environment with Eh down to -0.2 V. Such high solubility of U is primarily attributed to the formation of Ca-U-CO₃ complexes, which is important in both G2 located along fault zones and G3 occurring in granitic bedrocks. On the other hand, the solubility of Pu is found to be highly dependent on pH, with the lowest solubility in neutral to alkaline conditions. The predominant species are Pu(IV) and Pu(III) and their removal is predicted to occur by sorption. Considering the migration by colloids, however, the role of colloid formation and migration are expected to promote the Pu mobility, especially in deep groundwater of G3 and G5 which have low ionic strengths. Palladium (Pd) exhibits the low solubility due to the precipitation as sulfides in reducing conditions. In oxidizing condition, anionic complexes such as Pd(OH)₃^-, PdCl₃(OH)₂^-, PdCl₄^2-, and Pd(CO₃)₂^2- would be removed by sorption onto metal (hydro)oxides. This study will improve the understanding of the fate and transport of radionuclides in deep groundwater conditions of South Korea and therefore contributes to develop strategies for safe high-level radioactive waste disposal.