Abstract
An understanding of radioiodine volatility is important in relation to nuclear reactor safety. In this paper, findings of an ongoing experimental assessment of radioiodine partitioning are described. Radiochemical methods of determining liquid and gas phase speciation are presented along with experimental results demonstrating the validity of these methods. These results also indicate that the majority of the gaseous organic iodides detected at TMI-2 following the accident were in a low molecular weight form such as methyl iodide. It is concluded that, for 10−4 M CsI solutions, the partition coefficient increases by an order of magnitude with increasing pH and, the aqueous and gaseous concentrations of both molecular iodine and organic iodide decrease with increasing pH over the pH range of 4 to 12.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. FLUKE, T. JAMIESON; Long Term Containment Analysis and Radiological Consequences of LOCA's, Ontario Hydro Report 82005 Feb. 1982.
O.E.C.D. N.E.A., Draft form of Technical Annexes to Report of Principle Working Group No 4, Source Term and Environmental Consequences, to Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations SINDOC(86) 172 part 2 Nov., 1986.
E. G. CSILLAG, Proposal for the Fission Product Chemistry Program, NSSD Ontario Hydro Report 82594 Nov. 1982.
C. C. LIN, J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 43 (1981) 3229.
C. A. PELLETIER, R. T. HEMPHILL, Nuclear Power Plant Related Iodine Partition Coefficients, EPRI-NP-1271, 1979.
R. J. LEMIRE, J. PAQUETTE, D. F. TORGERSON, D. J. WREN, J. W. FLETCHER, Assessment of Iodine Behaviour in Reactor Containment Buildings from a Chemical Perspective, A.E.C.L. Report 6812 June 1981.
R. J. BAWDEN, Some aspects of aqueous iodine chemistry in PWR environments, Proc. of 3rd Intern. Conf. on Water Chemistry London, vol. 1, Oct. 17–21, 1983, p. 81.
J. H. KELLER, F. A. DUCE, W. J. MAECK, A Selective Adsorbent System for Differentiating Airborne Iodine Species, Proc. of 11th AEC Air Cleaning Conf., Vol. 2, 1970, p. 62.
J. R. HARRELL, J. B. LUTZ, J. L. KELLY, Experimental Determination of the Partition Coefficient of HOI, Trans. of the ANS Washington, Vol. 53, Nov. 16–20, 1986, p. 356.
C. A. PELLETIER, Preliminary Radioiodine Source Term and Inventory Assessment for TMI-2 GEND 028, March 1983.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Evans, G.J., Jervis, R.E. & Csillag, E.G. The air/water partitioning of radioiodine: An experimental assessment. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 124, 145–155 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035513
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02035513