Method for treating mixed radioactive waste

摘要

Mixed radioactive wastes, such as those that include a radioactive component and a dissolved salt component, are treated by directing the waste through at least one ion-exchange medium that binds at least a portion of the radioactive component. A liquid discharge stream from which the radioactive component has been separated, and which includes the dissolved salt component, is directed into a molten bath that causes at least a portion of at least one dissolved salt component of the liquid discharge stream to be reductively vaporized and thereby form at least one vaporized product. A gaseous discharge stream is generated by the molten bath that includes at least one vaporized product. In one specific embodiment, the mixed radioactive waste includes radioactive cesium as the radioactive component and sodium nitrate as the dissolved salt component.