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• Poisoning of a molten salt plating bath
  
• Surface defects in optical components
  
• Abnormalities in glass manufacturing
  
• Inclusions in cast metal products
  
• Failure of ion exchange systems
  
• Contaminants in pharmaceutical products
  
• Surface defects in manufactured paper products
  
• Weld failures
  
• Failings of coatings and adhesives
  
• Trace quantities of surface contamination
  
• Corrosion products
  

MCLinc has an extensive array of instrumentation and laboratories (non-radiological and radiological) dedicated to solving the speciation and nature of the interaction between the contaminant and the host matrix. These resources serve as a powerful tool to assist in solving process anomalies and ensuring consistent product quality.

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Metals Speciation
The MCLinc laboratory has an extensive history of applying solid state characterization methods, in conjunction with process design, to understand the extent, limit, and nature of the interaction between materials. Using electron microscopy (scanning, digital, environmental, ultra-high resolution, and/or transmission) in combination with micro x-ray fluorescence (energy or wavelength) and electron diffraction the size, elemental associations, matrix association, and composition of micro-particulates can be determined. Using x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the phase composition, elemental analysis, and oxidation state of the materials can be determined. These solid state characterization technologies combined with specific sample preparation, vibrational spectroscopy, ion chromatography, and radiological spectroscopy (if required) allow for the species specific 'fingerprints' to be determined for a variety of metal based species. Thus, utilizing this array of micro and macro characterization tools, MCLinc can provide metals speciation, particulate analysis, and source profiling.

MCLinc's ability to provide detailed metals speciation and materials interaction support has proven valuable in support of various environmental technologies. Understanding the nature of particulates formed during incineration, their interaction with the process equipment, and their interaction with the environment has helped to ensure that the technologies being used to mitigate environmental legacies are in full environmental compliance.

Knowing the speciation of metals in RCRA contaminated soils has allowed a more accurate determination of the risks of human exposure. MCLinc identified the speciation of mercury at an Oak Ridge remediation site. Based upon the results, the EPA action limit was increased to reflect the lower risk to human health. This speciation information helped to save over $100M in remediation cost.

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Materials Characterization
MCLinc utilizes its extensive array of instrumentation and laboratories (radiological and non-radiological) and combined experience to perform characterization of a broad range of materials.

MCLinc provides insight into the nature of the contaminant/host matrix interaction and identifies the nature and source of unknown or unwanted materials. Information such as the following, combined with an understanding of the chemistry and nature of the materials, can be used to define risks and optimize processes.

• Contaminant chemistry and physical nature (size and/or distribution) to focus process parameters at mitigating the contaminant or for locating the source of the contaminant for product improvement;
  
• Type and extent of elemental interactions (e.g., bioavailability or phase identification) to address the true risk - not the perceived risk; and
  
• Performance as a function of time and/or nature of the contaminant.
  

MCLinc's materials characterization provides value-added results to programs such as:

• Mercury Speciation for Investigation and Remediation
  -Definitive proof of mercury species
  -Realistic action limits defined
  -75% savings over initial remediation budget
  
• Incinerator Particulate Analysis
  -Evaluate the performance of air pollution control systems
  -Determine the fate of metals
  -Ambient air studies
  
• Source Identification
• Decontamination of Gaseous Diffusion Process Equipment
  -Validate process efficiency
  
• Evaluation of Optical Components
  -Surface examination of lenses, mirrors, windows, and buffers
• Support of Soil Washing Demonstration
  -Particle size distribution
  -Contaminate fate and transport
  

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Surface Analysis
MCLinc utilizes a collection of classical surface spectroscopy (XPS), electron microscopy (SEM, STEM, TEM), micro x-ray fluorescence (EDS, WDS), and vibrational spectroscopy (S\FTIR, UV/Vis) to provide elemental, chemical state, morphological, and speciation analysis. The MCLinc staff has utilized this multi-technique in support of a wide variety of applications such as novel materials, process optimization, QA/QC, forensics, regulatory support, asbestos analysis, risk assessment, and technology development and demonstration.

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Treatability Studies
MCLinc has experienced staff, instrumentation, permits, and laboratory facilities in place to perform treatability studies for process streams involving hazardous, radioactive, and proprietary materials. These resources, in conjunction with access to a wide variety of actual DOE and Oak Ridge Waste streams, make MCLinc a unique facility for the development and demonstration of treatment technologies.

MCLinc provides an independent evaluation of your remediation and/or waste management processes to assess treatment capacity, throughput, secondary waste generation, and total life cycle costs (e.g. "cradle-to-grave"). Examples of successful treatability studies that MCLinc has performed include:

• Removal of heavy metals (Pb, Hg) from process waste streams in support of hazard reduction and waste minimization
  
• Zero valence metals, redox active materials, and mineralization inducers for process and ground water treatment
  
• Microwave melting of hazardous and radioactive waste streams to gain volume reduction and reduce leachability
  
• Surrogate development and formulation of DOE waste streams to allow low-risk, less-hazardous evaluation of technology and process
   

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Chemical Analysis
MCLinc chemists specialize in interpretation and application of information gained through chemical analysis. When available, standard or routine analysis methods are utilized in laboratory investigations. When needed, methods are modified or specific methods may be developed. A wide array of analytical instrumentation is available to MCLinc chemists.

Examples of special needs addressed by our chemists:

• Analysis of pyrophoric materials
  
• Preservation of valence state from sampling through analysis
  
• In situ analysis
  
• Continuous monitoring applications
  
• Analysis of highly corrosive materials
  
• Determination of oxidation states
  

Whether it is environmental monitoring, product development, or a research need, MCLinc chemists will LISTEN and advise.

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Environmental Consulting
MCLinc scientists have evaluated hundreds of technologies used for remediation of environmental problems. This experience, coupled with our application of logic diagrams to evaluate alternative approaches, results in cost-effective solutions for you.

• Long-term, low-temperature (LTLT) gas phase decontamination
  
• In-situ vitrification
  
• Microwave melting of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes
  
• Advanced grouting techniques
  
• Field portable PCB sensing device
  
• Restoration of metal plating baths
  
• Use of zero valence metals for hazardous and radioactive metals management
  

The expertise, instrumentation, and laboratory resources of MCLinc provide a direct route for solving environmental and process challenges for a wide variety of industries.

Call us; we can help.

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Thermal Treatment
Members of the MCLinc staff have supported a wide variety of development, demonstration, testing and evaluation studies in support of the thermal treatment technologies for the processing of hazardous and/or radioactive wastes. The first fully licensed low-level mixed waste incinerator was designed, constructed and operated at the East Tennessee Technology Park, formerly the K-25 Site, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

As part of the technical support organization for this site, the MCLinc staff had the opportunity to provide a wide variety of support including, material compatibility, process optimization, waste management, off-gas evaluation, particulate analysis, failure analysis, and health and safety studies. This understanding of thermal treatment processes led to the involvement in other DOE sponsored thermal treatment technology initiatives including: development of non-hazardous surrogates for evaluating DOE specific waste streams, evaluation of plasma torch technologies for waste processing, evaluation of microwave melting technologies, evaluation of vitrification (in-situ, transportable, and bulk) technologies for waste treatment, demonstration and evaluation of metal emissions monitors, and working with various technology and thermal treatment working groups to assist in the development of programs and protocols to meet the complex waste management needs facing the U.S. DOE and the U.S. Industrial complex.

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Uranium and Fluorine Chemistry
MCLinc scientists gained experience with uranium and fluorine through extensive involvement in the development efforts at gaseous diffusion plants. These plants have operated safely for decades using large quantities of fluorine, chlorine trifluoride, hydrogen fluoride, and uranium hexafluoride. This expertise is now applied to industry processes involving strongly fluorinating gases and other hazardous gases in areas such as:

• Equipment specifications
  
• Equipment modification for fluorinating gas service
  
• Chemical properties
  
• Analyses
  
• Materials compatibility
  
• Consulting
  
• Safety reviews
  
• Detonation/deflagration studies
  
• Systems design
  
• Disposal
  
• Lab experiments involving highly reactive, toxic, and radioactive materials
  

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Technology Demonstration and Evaluation
Demonstrations and evaluations of environmental technologies on hazardous and/or radioactive materials require not only access to the expertise in handling these materials but also regulatory authority to work with the materials. MCLinc, located in the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, provides access to experienced staff, specialized instrumentation, and laboratory (rad, hazardous, and proprietary) resources to facilitate the demonstration and/or evaluation of existing and emerging technologies.

Support can be provided for lab-, bench-, or pilot-scale demonstrations. Some demonstrations that have utilized the MCLinc expertise include:

• Soil washing: remediation of FUSWRAP sites
  
• Asbestos remediation
  
• Incinerator trial and performance burns
  
• Transportable Vitrification System (TVS) for waste processing
  
• Conversion methods for Thorium Nitrate
  
• Long-term, low temperature gas phase decontamination process
  
• Zero valence metals for contaminant collection and control
  

If you have a technology that may be beneficial to mitigating environmental legacies or supporting pollution prevention initiatives and you need to understand its application for specific contaminant or matrices, or if access to handling hazardous and/or radioactive materials is needed to demonstrate the efficacy of your technologies, then MCLinc is the perfect resource for ensuring a successful demonstration. This independent evaluation can help minimize several of the hurdles involved in introducing a concept or product to the market place.

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Radioactive Materials
MCLinc's laboratory facility is designed and equipped to safely handle low to moderate levels of radioactivity. Experience in this area includes:

• Accident investigations involving stored radioactive materials
  
• Compatibility/treatability testing of radioactive materials
  
• Process studies for concentration of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM)
  
• Decontamination technologies
  
• Evaluation of disposal options
  
• Supervision of waste treatment
  

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