Treatment of 137Cs liquid wastes by reverse osmosis Part II. Real application 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. This paper describes the reverse osmosis plant used and the process of treatment, and presents the results of reverse osmosis membrane performance in the course of the treatment.