Treatment of 137Cs liquid wastes by reverse osmosis Part I. Preliminary tests Original Research Article

As a consequence of an accidental fusion of a 137Cs source in a steel production factory, 40 m3 of radioactive liquids were generated in the plant decontamination process. This radioactive liquid waste was treated by a reverse osmosis plant, managing to declassify more than 36 m3. The remaining 4 m3 were treated by evaporation reducing the final volume to less than 1 m3. Prior to the waste treatment at the steel factory, preliminary tests were done in order to determine reverse osmosis membrane performance with 137Cs effluents. The influence ofgamma and electron irradiation on structure and transport properties of reverse osmosis membranes was studied; and reverse osmosis performance with a 137Cs-contaminated liquid obtained from contaminated ashes was assessed. The aim of this paper is to describe and show the results of these preliminary tests.