Review of iodine behavior from nuclear fuel dissolution to environmental release

Abstract

During nuclear fuel reprocessing, radioiodine, can be released. The speciation of iodine drives its volatility, and partitioning processes are highly variable because they depend on facility operating conditions. Starting from iodine behavior in the fuel and progressing to its behavior in the environment, this review article describes the current understanding of iodine partitioning during aqueous fuel reprocessing. This review outlines knowledge gaps and describes the effects of state-of-the-art reprocessing techniques on iodine speciation and volatility. Whereas many review articles have described iodine behavior during specific reprocessing steps, this review provides a holistic overview of radioiodine, from the forms of iodine in different types of irradiated fuel to the forms of iodine released into the environment. The resultant behavior of radioiodine compared with stable iodine in the environment is also described.