Ambient temperature decontamination of nuclear power plant component surfaces containing radionuclides in a metal oxide

A composition effective to at least partially disrupt and dissolve radioactive deposits formed on a surface of a structure in a nuclear water reactor when the composition is in contact with the surface of the structure during non-operational conditions, the composition consisting essentially of:

• an aqueous component at ambient temperature;
• from about 0.001 M to about 2 M based on the composition, of at least one elemental metal additive to the aqueous component, selected from the group consisting of zinc, beryllium, aluminum, magnesium, iron, lithium, and mixtures thereof, in particulate, powder or colloidal form;
• from about 0.025 weight percent to about 5.0 weight percent based on total weight of the composition, of an additive selected from the group consisting of a sequestering agent, a chelating agent, and mixtures thereof;
• optionally a dispersant;
• optionally an oxygen scavenger;
• optionally a pH adjustment agent;
• and
• optionally a reducing agent;
• wherein the radioactive deposits comprise oxide-containing radionuclides deposited on the surface, and wherein the surface is a primary side structure surface in the nuclear water reactor.