Use of Co-60 Gamma Irradiation to Simulate Decomposition of Tetraphenylborate Precipitates from High Level Radioactive Waste

Savannah River Plant nuclear waste requires the decontamination of approximately 100 million gallons of salt solution. The radioactive Cs-137 will be removed by precipitating it as a tetraphenylborate (TPB) salt. This radioactive precipitate will be stored in large, underground steel tanks for approximately two years until it is consigned to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) for immobilization in glass. During the processing and storage, the tetraphenylborate precipitate will be subjected to intense beta and gamma irradiation which will cause partial decomposition leading to the production of many organic compounds. The purpose of this project was to qualitatively and quantitatively identify the organic products formed from the radiolysis of soluble and insoluble tetraphenylborate salts.