OPTIMIZATION OF FLY ASH-BASED GEOPOLYMER FOR IMMOBILIZATION OF SPENT RESIN FROM LOW LEVEL EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT (LLETP), MALAYSIAN NUCLEAR AGENCY

Abstract

Radioactive waste management is an important element in ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear and its related technology. In Malaysia, Malaysian Nuclear Agency is solely responsible for the management of radioactive waste in the country and its responsibilities include collection, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of the radioactive waste. Treatment process is crucial in immobilizing the radionuclides from leaching out from the waste form. This project aims at assessing the effectiveness of fly ash-based geopolymer in the immobilization of radioactive waste in particular spent resin. In this project, spent resin from the Low-Level Effluent Treatment Plant (LLETP) will be treated with geopolymer blended from fly ash obtained as a by-product from a coal power plant in Malaysia. The spent resin from the LLETP becomes unusable after several cycles of usage and thus needs to be replaced. The spent resin is considered to be problematic and, in many cases, requires special approaches and precautions during its treatment to meet the waste acceptance criteria for disposal. This investigation serves to support the pursuit for effective and viable option to immobilize spent ion exchange resin at WasTeC in ensuring long-term safety.