Why can't chemical treatment be used to destroy the radioactive products produced in a nuclear reactor?

Answer 1

The radioactive materials produced in a nuclear reactor are radioactive because of instability in the nucleus of the atoms of the radioactive materials. Chemistry only affects the way elements behave because of the electron structure. Chemistry is electonic and the radioactive products have problems in their nuclei. Chemistry doesn't affect the nucleus of the atom, so chemical methods cannot be used to deal with radioactive materials, per se.

Answer 2

Chemical treatment cannot destroy radioactive products because radioactivity is a nuclear property that involves changes in the nucleus of atoms. Chemical reactions only involve the electrons in an atom's outer shell, while radioactivity involves changes in the nucleus itself. Consequently, chemical treatments cannot alter the radioactivity of elements or isotopes.

Answer 3

Chemical reactions will rearrange atoms, not make them disappear.