Characteristics of dioxins and metals emission from radwaste plasma arc melter system.

Abstract

This study investigated the emission characteristics of PCDD/Fs and the partitioning of three heavy metals (Cd, Hg and Pb) and two radioactive metal surrogates (Co and Cs) in a radwaste plasma arc melter system. Typical mixtures of low-level radioactive wastes were simulated as the trial burn surrogate wastes. The emission of PCDD/Fs and the partitioning of the metals were strongly influenced by the feed waste stream and melter operating temperature, respectively. The emissions of PCDD/Fs, cadmium and lead were greatly enhanced when the polyvinyl chloride was included in the feed waste stream. Most of the nonvolatile cobalt partitioned into the glass. A significant quantity of cesium, cadmium and lead was vaporized during the highest melter temperature test. A lower melter temperature resulted in more cesium, cadmium and lead species remaining in the glass. The results of this study suggest that wet scrubbing as well as a low-temperature two-step fine filtration, or both of them together could not effectively capture the gas-phase or fine particle phase PCDD/Fs and mercury species. In order to effectively treat low-level radioactive waste streams, the tested high-temperature melter should include an adsorption system, which could collect the gas-phase PCDD/Fs and mercury species.

• Authors: Hee-Chul Yang, Joon-Hyung Kim
• Journal: Chemosphere (Chemosphere) Vol. 57 Issue 5 Pg. 421-8 (Nov 2004) ISSN: 0045-6535 [Print] England
• PMID: 15331269 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Air Pollutants, Radioactive
• Dioxins
• Metals, Heavy
• Radioactive Waste

Topics

• Adsorption
• Air Pollutants, Radioactive (analysis)
• Dioxins (analysis)
• Incineration
• Korea
• Metallurgy
• Metals, Heavy (analysis)
• Radioactive Waste (analysis)
• Refuse Disposal (instrumentation, methods)
• Temperature