抄録
A method of dehydration for the waste treatment of radioactive animal carcass by microwave heating was developed. A heating apparatus was devised by annexing the microwave output controlling circuit to a 600W commercial microwave oven, and the aqueous vapour from the animal carcass was collected by duplex cold traps.
Body weight of the carcass was reduced to 20-30% by dehydration, and a three-year storage test proved that the dehydrated carcass was very hard to decompose. Time needed for dehydration was about 10min for a 25g mouse, and about 1hr for 668g dog. Violent rupture of the carcass, and/or fuming due to overheating that had often been observed during dehydration were proved to be avoidable by controlling the microwave output during the process. The ratio of radioactivity (60Co, 137Cs, 85Sr, 144Ce) that escaped from the carcass during dehydration was found to be less than 3×10-4 by a series of experiment. Some related radiation safety problems were discussed.
