Abstract
A waste container that can contain the radioactive component of a radioactive-biomedical mixed waste while the biological component of the waste is inactivated was designed, fabricated, and validated. Bacillus stearothermophilus spore indicator strips were used to validate the biological inactivation through autoclaving of a given biomedical waste mixture. Repeated experiments indicated that a ninety minute autoclave sterilization cycle was sufficient to effect biological inactivation of the biomedical waste.
The experiments also validated that any radioactivity placed within the container was contained during the autoclaving process. Any volatilization of radionuclides was contained within the container or adsorbed onto a charcoal filter column attached to the container. Experiments were performed using varying activities of three common radionuclides used in research at the National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center (NCI-FCRDC). The majority of this research was performed using 125l; subsequent validation studies were also conducted using 3H and 35S.