SUMMARY OF SUMMER WORK ON THE INCORPORATION OF RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES IN CERAMIC MASSES

Concretes containlng portland cement and vermiculite as the solid material and radioactive waste as the makeup liquor were prepared to study the effect of concrete composition on retention of radioactive wastes. The tests indicated that vermiculite-concrete could successfully contain radioactive waste agalnst water leaching if the concrete were flred to 1200 deg C. The tests also indicated that vermiculite-concrete contalning attapulgite gave a lower count lixivium. It was not clear whether this resulted from the presence of the attapulgite or from the use of a higher solids-to-waste ratio. Experiments were made to determine how effectively porous ceramic bodies can tie up radioactive wastes. Tvo procedures were utilizedi one in which the porous body was used as a wick (one end kept dry), and the other In which the entire piece was immersed in the waste solution, fired, and re-immersed for a total of four cycles. (W.L.H.