Method for treating radioactive solutions

Claim 1

Method of treating aqueous waste solutions containing Co 58 and Co 60 , other radionuclides selected from the group consisting of Mn 54 , Sb 124 , Sb 125 and Zn 65 and mixtures thereof and organic complexing agents, which comprises maintaining the pH of the solution at about 5 and adding alkali-metal permanganate to the solution in excess amount to oxidize the complexing agents and subsequently adding MnSO 4 to the solution to reduce the excess MnO 4 - in the solution to MnO 2 which latter separates as a solid from the solution and adsorbs said other radionuclides contained in the aqueous solution subjected to treatment, separating the solids from the solution raising the pH of the separated solution to about 10.5, adding a complex [Co +3 (NH 3 ) 6 ] Cl 3 salt as a carrier for Co 58 and Co 60 to the solution, adding a reducing agent to the solution to reduce Co +3 to Co +2 , adding a decomplexing agent to free Co +2 from the complex, and then adding a precipitating agent to the solution to precipitate Co +2 as a compound insoluble in the solution, and subsequently encapsulating the said solids and said insoluble compounds in a binder.