Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An iodine-loaded waste form, comprising a glassy body comprised of a mixture of a LST (Low-Sintering-Temperature) glass and an iodine-loaded material;wherein the LST glass has a sintering temperature that ranges from 425° C. to 550° C.;wherein the LST glass comprises bismuth oxide and at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxides of Pb, Bi, Zn and B; andwherein the iodine-loaded material is selected from the group consisting of AgI, AgI-zeolite, Ag-silica aerogel, ZnI2, CuI, and a bismuth-oxy-iodine compound having a thermal decomposition temperature greater than the sintering temperature of the LST glass. 2. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine comprises radioactive iodine. 3. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the LST glass comprises boron and bismuth. 4. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 3, wherein the LST glass comprises boron, bismuth, and zinc; and has a sintering temperature of about 500° C. 5. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 4, wherein the LST glass comprises 51-55 wt % Bi, 21-22 wt % Zn, and 3-4 wt % B, with the remainder comprising O, and comprising essentially no lead or silicon. 6. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 5, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI-zeolite, and the zeolite comprises Mordenite zeolite. 7. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI, and the concentration of AgI in the waste form ranges from 20 wt % to 60 wt % AgI. 8. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the AgI is homogeneously dissolved throughout the iodine-loaded waste form. 9. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI-zeolite, and the zeolite comprises Mordenite zeolite. 10. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises a bismuth-oxy-iodine compound having a thermal decomposition temperature greater than 550° C. 11. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 10, wherein the bismuth-oxy-iodine compound comprises Bi5O7I. 12. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine-loaded waste form is surrounded by a protective coating comprising Bi2O3. 13. The iodine-loaded waste form of claim 1, wherein the iodine-loaded waste form is surrounded by a protective coating comprising Bi5O7I. 14. An iodine-loaded waste form, comprising a glassy body comprised of a mixture of a LST (Low-Sintering-Temperature) glass and an iodine-loaded material;wherein the LST glass comprises 51-55 wt % Bi, 21-22 wt % Zn, and 3-4 wt % B, with the remainder comprising O, and comprising essentially no lead or silicon;wherein the LST glass has a sintering temperature of about 500° C.;wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI-zeolite; andwherein the zeolite comprises Mordenite zeolite. 15. A method of forming a glassy iodine-loaded waste form, comprising:a) mixing powdered frits of a LST (Low-Sintering-Temperature) glass with particles or powders of an iodine-loaded material, wherein the LST glass comprises bismuth oxide and at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxides of Pb, Bi, Zn and B; and wherein the iodine-loaded material is selected from the group consisting of AgI, AgI-zeolite, Ag-silica aerogel, ZnI2, CuI, and a bismuth-oxy-iodine compound having a thermal decomposition temperature greater than the sintering temperature of the LST glass.b) heating the mixture in an oxidizing environment at a temperature that ranges from 425° C. to 550° C., which sinters and densifies the mixture; and thenc) cooling the sintered mixture. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the iodine comprises radioactive iodine. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the LST glass comprises boron and bismuth. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the LST glass comprises boron, bismuth, and zinc; and has a sintering temperature of about 500° C. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the concentration of AgI in the waste form ranges from 20 wt % to 60 wt % AgI. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the LST glass comprises 51-55 wt % Bi, 21-22 wt % Zn, and 3-4 wt % B, with the remainder comprising O, and comprising essentially no lead or silicon. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI-zeolite, and the zeolite comprises Mordenite zeolite. 22. The method of claim 15, wherein the AgI is homogeneously dissolved throughout the iodine-loaded waste form. 23. The method of claim 15, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises AgI-zeolite, and the zeolite comprises Mordenite zeolite. 24. The method of claim 15, wherein the iodine-loaded material comprises a bismuth-oxy-iodine compound having a thermal decomposition temperature greater than 550° C. 25. The method of claim 15, wherein the bismuth-oxy-iodine compound comprises Bi5O7I. 26. The method of claim 15, further comprising after step c) surrounding the glassy iodine-loaded waste form with a protective coating comprising Bi2O3. 27. The method of claim 15, further comprising after step c) surrounding the glassy iodine-loaded waste form with a protective coating comprising Bi5O7I.