Tritiated waste and glovebox cleanup systems contain significant levels of trititated methane impurities which require reducing and processing to recover the tritium. A viable approach to the recovery of tritium is the conversion of tritiated methane into elemental tritium and carbon by thermal cracking on a heated metal matrix.

Through the conversion reaction of HTO/H2O with hot Al4C3 powder, tritiated methane concentrations in the 0.4 to 0.9 mCi/m3 range are achievable. The HTO/H2O ratio is ~10-7.

Conversion efficiencies for the decomposition of methane are measured for Zr-Fe-Mn alloy, iron oxide and supported nickel catalyst. HT and HTO are created by decomposing methane. Zr-Fe-Mn alloy achieved a maximum conversion efficiency of ~70% at 700°C. Iron oxide thermally cracked methane at 36% at a temperature of 700°C. Supported nickel operating at 450°C achieved conversion efficiencies ranging from 65 to 100%.