The reaction of gaseous iodoethane with silver nitrate

Abstract

Airborne radioactive wastes from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants are rigorously controlled. The most important of the volatile fission products is {sup 131}I, whose significance as an airborne waste product stems from the low permissible concentration in air for inhalation and from the marked potential for concentration in food chains leading to man. Iodine is effectively removed from off-gases by passing the stream through heated beds of Berl saddles which have been coated with silver nitrate. These beds were developed on the assumption that elemental iodine alone is present; however, it is suspected that some of the iodine in reprocessing plants is present as organic iodides, particularly iodomethane. It is of interest to know what reactions take place between silver nitrate and gaseous organic iodides and how fast these reactions are. This study was undertaken to gain better understanding of the reactions of organic iodides and silver nitrate. Iodomethane was used in these laboratory studies rather than iodomethane to avoid the unstable methyl nitrate which is a product of the reaction between methyl iodide and silver nitrate. Helium was used as an inert sweep gas for the iodomethane to avoid results complicated by side reactions. 11 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.