Disposition of legacy wastes from fuel reprocessing at the Savannah River Site (SRS) requires separation of the radioactivity into a small volume for incorporation into a durable borosilicate glass wasteform for eventual emplacement in a federal repository. The decontaminated waste solution is incorporated into a grout wasteform for onsite disposal in near surface vaults. Pretreatment of the high-level nuclear wastes at the SRS includes an ion-exchange process for the removal of 90Sr and alpha-emitting actinides (e.g., 239Pu, 237Np) and a solvent extraction process for separation of 137Cs. Two pilot-scale pretreatment facilities, the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) and the Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU), began using these separation processes in 2008. The same separation processes are also planned for the much larger Salt Waste Processing Facility, which is under construction. A variety of analytical methods are used to support the operation of the chemical separation processes and facilities. This paper will provide an overview of these analytical methods including their evolution after startup of the ARP and MCU facilities.

Analytical methods in support of waste processing operations at the Savannah River site

250th National Meeting (2015)

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