Effect of Water-Absorbent Polymers on Iodine Volatilization Control during the Heat Drying of Radioactive-iodine-containing Wastewater

The accidental ingestion of radioactive iodine is known to increase the risk of thyroid cancer and thyroid dysfunction; hence, strict radiation safety measures are required when handling it. In a previous study, we demonstrated that absorbing radioactive-iodine-containing wastewater using a water-absorbent polymer with cyclic oligosaccharides that selectively capture iodine, followed by natural drying, effectively separates at least 80% of the iodine from the wastewater. However, because natural drying requires approximately 2 wk, faster processing is essential to improve the efficiency of this wastewater treatment. Hence, we propose a method for quickly separating iodine from wastewater via heat drying. This study aimed to compare radioactive iodine volatilization levels between samples subjected to heat-drying- and natural-drying-based iodine and water separation. Na 125 I was added to purified water and artificial urine to prepare simulated waste liquids containing iodine at concentrations equivalent to those in the urine of patients undergoing radioactive iodine treatment. The prepared simulated waste liquids were poured into containers containing a superabsorbent polymer, dried in a thermostatic dryer set at 100 °C for 9 h, and subsequently stored for 90 d. The iodine residual rate in the simulated waste liquids was determined by measuring 125 I radioactivity. At the end of the heat-drying process, the iodine residual rates in the simulated waste liquids prepared with purified water and artificial urine were 0.452 and 0.783, respectively. When absorbed in 1 g of superabsorbent polymer, the residual rates increased to 0.956 and 0.952, respectively. Over the following 82 d, the residual rates decreased by approximately 10%. Thus, by absorbing radioactive-iodine-containing wastewater into a highly water-absorbent polymer and then applying heat drying, iodine can be effectively separated from the wastewater while limiting its volatilization to less than 15%.