Waste treatment process for removal of contaminants from aqueous, mixed-waste solutions using sequential chemical treatment and crossflow microfiltration, followed by dewatering

A waste treatment process for removal of contaminants including metals, radionuclides and organic matter from a feed of water containing coarse particles, calcium and contaminants, said contaminants including metals including heavy metals, radionuclides and organic matter, comprising the following steps:

• removing coarse particles suspended in said feed of water by passing said feed through a filter;
• precipitating metals including heavy metals from said feed of water by the addition of a base;
• sorbing residual dissolved heavy metals and a portion of any dissolved radionuclides from said feed by adding an ion-exchange material;
• separating metal precipitates and ion-exchange particles from said feed by a first stage crossflow microfiltration;
• precipitating calcium and a portion of radioactive strontium from said feed by adding soda;
• sorbing a portion of radionuclides from said feed by adding an ion-exchange material;
• separating calcium and strontium precipitates, radionuclides and ion-exchange particles from said feed by a second stage crossflow microfiltration;
• removing residual radionuclides and organic contaminants from said feed by adding activated carbon and ion-exchange material;
• separating said organic contaminants from said feed by a third stage crossflow microfiltration.

A waste treatment process for removal of contaminants including metals, radionuclides and organic matter from a feed of water containing coarse particles, calcium and contaminants, said contaminants including metals, radionuclides and organic matter, comprising the following steps:

• precipitating contaminants from said feed of water by adding a base to said feed of contaminated water;
• sorbing contaminants from said feed of water by adding an ion-exchange material;
• precipitating calcium and contaminants from said feed by adding soda;
• adsorbing contaminants from said feed of water by adding a powdered adsorbent;
• and
• separating suspended particles, produced by the addition of said base, ion-exchange material, soda, and adsorbent, from said feed of water by passing said feed through a crossflow microfiltration means.