Chemical and Radiochemical Analysis of the Spent Sorbent from Iodine Adsorption Columns of the Mayak PA RT Plant

Spent iodine-bearing sorbents accumulated at the Mayak Production Association were subjected to chemical and radiochemical analysis. The mass fractions of sorbent macrocomponents (Al, Ag, NO₃^–, and total I) and related impurities (F^–, Cl^–, and SO₄^2–) were measured. The total specific α- and β-activity, the specific activity of long-lived α- and β-emitting radionuclides whose identification was analytically possible (⁹⁹Tc, U and Pu isotopes, and ²⁴¹Am), and that of the main dose-producing radionuclides (¹²⁹I, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr) were determined. The uniformity of the Al, Ag, NO₃^–, ¹²⁹I, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr distribution in the columns was estimated.