Effect of 3H and 14C Interference on the Radioactivity Measurement of 129I in Low and Intermediate-Level Radwastes

Abstract

The effect of ³H and ¹⁴C interference on the separation and quantification of ¹²⁹I from iron scraps and heating insulators as a low and intermediate-level radwaste has been studied. The iron scraps and heating insulators were liquidized using an acid digestion pretreatment method. Then, an anion-exchange resin adsorption method was used to separate the ¹²⁹I and ¹⁴C in the pretreated aqueous solution. The ³H remained in the aqueous phase after the back-extraction and was removed by low-temperature evaporation at 70 ºC. Through the chemical separation and evaporation, most of the ¹⁴C and ³H were removed and no radioactivity was detected. In the separation extraction, the average recovery rate of ¹²⁹I was approximately 80.8 %.