Crystalline silicotitanate gate review analysis

Crystalline silicotitanate (CST) is an ion-exchange method for removing radioactive cesium from tank waste to allow the separation of the waste into high- and low-level fractions. The CST, originally developed Sandia National Laboratories personnel in association with Union Oil Products Corporation, has both a high affinity and selectivity for sorbing cesium-137 from highly alkaline or acidic solutions. For several years now, the U.S. Department of Energy has funded work to investigate applying CST to large-scale removal of cesium-137 from radioactive tank wastes. In January 1997, an expert panel sponsored by the Tanks Focus Area met to review the current state of the technology and to determine whether it was ready for routine use. The review also sought to identify any technical issues that must be resolved or additional CST development that must occur before full implementation by end-users. The CST Gate Review Group concluded that sufficient work has been done to close developmental work on CST and turn the remaining site-specific tasks over to the users. This report documents the review group`s findings, issues, concerns, and recommendations as well as responses from the Tanks Focus Area expert staff to specific pretreatment and immobilization issues