Development of the Zeolite Analcime for Tritiated Water Storage

To maximise the safety of the future storage of tritiated waste water a zeolite called Analcime is being developed as an alternative to 4A molecular sieve. Synthesis methods have been developed that can produce particles up to 180 microns in diameter. Measurements of the rate of isotopic exchange of Analcime loaded with T₂O when immersed in H₂O at 25°C produced half-lives (t_½) of exchange of between 64 and 172 years. These rates are approximately four orders of magnitude slower than 4A molecular sieve and demonstrate the potential of the material for the long-term immobilisation of tritiated water.