To facilitate the treatment of spent decontamination and chemical cleaning solutions, this study explored the feasibility of replacing stable completing agents (such as EDTA) by completing agents which can be readily decomposed using chemical or thermal treatment. Acetohydroxarnic acid was found to be a promising candidate for such a role. Preliminary experiments carried out on actual corrosion products from steam generators indicated that 15% acetohydroxamic acid solutions had similar effectiveness to that of the EPNSGOG iron solvent (which contains 15°AEDTA) with respect to certain magnetite-tich deposits. The addition of malonic acid and hydrazine enhanced the dissolution of magnetite in acetohydroxamic acid solution. EDTA and acetohydroxamic acid were similarly effective in the decontamination of stainless steel surfaces superficially contaminated with 60Co. It was found that acetohydroxamic acid in spent solvents can be completely
decomposed through acid-catalyzed hydrolysis using nitricor hydrochloric acid. Complete decomposition can also be achieved through oxidation of acetohydroxamic acid with active manganese dioxideor potassium permanganate. Regeneration of spent, contaminated acetohydroxamic acid solutions was demonstrated using a cation exchangeres into remove ferricor ferrousions from the solution. Cobalt ions were removed from such solutions using charcoal. Based on the experimental findings, acetohydroxamic acid solutions appear to be promising candidates for use in decontamination or chemical cleaning, followed by decomposition or regeneration of the spent solutions. Keywords: decontamination, chemical cleaning, secondary waste,completing agents, degradable agents, 60Co, acetohydroxamic acid, waste reduction, chemical cleaning solvent regeneration