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A Study on the Determination of Organic Chelating Agents in a Variety of Radioactive Wastes
p.449
Low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste for permanent disposal often contains organic complexing agents, so-called chelating agents. Organic complexing agents, which are polycarboxylic acids, can increase the mobility of radionuclides into the environment by forming water-soluble complexes with most heavy metals. Therefore, analyzing the complexing agents in radioactive waste is crucial for comprehensive management of nuclear wastes. According to regulatory guidelines, specifically Notice No. 2021-16 issued by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the determination of chelating agent content in radioactive waste materials is required to ensure proper management and safe disposal. However, only a few methods are available to analyze the chelators in various matrices such as concrete, metals, soil, and mixed solid wastes like plastics, vinyl, and rubber. Recently, we found a UV-Vis method based on an enzymatic reaction is inadequate for analyzing citric acid in radioactive waste with a complex matrix like concrete. To address this, we developed a method to determine the contents of EDTA and NTA using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and citric acid using ion chromatography. The results showed good validity and reliability to determine the chelating agents in various radioactive wastes.
