Decontamination of irradiated beryllium from radioactive impurities by precipitation of hydroxides in the presence of a complexone

The content of radioactive impurities in beryllium of TV-56 grade, irradiated in the SM reactor to a neutral fluence F = 6 × 10 22 cm −2 ( E > 0.1 MeV), was calculated, and a procedure for beryllium decontamination by its precipitation with ammonium hydroxide in the presence of a complexone, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), was studied. Beryllium hydroxide was converted from amorphous (gel) to crystalline form. The concentration of radioactive impurities from a solution containing irradiated beryllium on iron(III) hydroxide was also studied. The radioactivity of solutions obtained after each purification step was measured. The results obtained can be useful for refabrication of irradiated beryllium (including commercial process) for its reuse.