Ion exchange process

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE DECONTAMINATION OF HIGHLY ALKALINE RADIOACTIVE AQUEOUS WASTES IN WHICH A ZEOLITIC ALUMINO-SILICATE ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL IS USED IN AN ION EXCHANGE COLUMN TO REMOVE CESIUM AND STRONTIUM THE IMPROVEMENT OF PREVENTING CHEMICAL ATTACK ON AND DEGRADATION OF THE SAID EXCHANGE MATERIAL, COMPRISING: PREPARING TREATED WASTE BY INCORPORATING SODIUM ALUMINATE INTO SAID WASTE SOLUTION TO A CONCENTRATION OF AT LEAST 0.04 MOLAR; PRETREATING THE ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH THE ALUMINATE CONTAINING WASTES; WASHING SAID CONTACTED ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH WATER TO REMOVE ANY OF SAID TREATED WASTE; CONTACTING SAID WASHED ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH 0.2 MOLAR AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION TO ELUTE SODIUM; TREATING SAID CONTACTED ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH 2 MOLAR AMMONIUM CARBONATE SOLUTION TO ELUTE CESIUM; AND, WASHING SAID TREATED ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH WATER TO REMOVE ALL TRACES OF AMMONIUM CARBONATE PRIOR TO PRETREATING SAID ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH SAID AMMONIUM BYDROXIDE PREPARATORY TO FURTHER CONTACTING OF THE ZEOLITIC MATERIAL WITH WASTE HAVING ALUMINUM INCORPORATED THEREIN.