polymer in an aqueous nitric acid solution was demonstrated in tests wherein direct electric current was passed between platinum electrodes immersed in the polymer containing solution the current was maintained at a potential sufficient to produce a slight gassing of the solution and it was found that reversal of the electrode polarity at approximately 10 minute intervals improved the effectiveness of the current in eliminating the pu iv polymer the method of the invention was found to be effective for depolymerizing aged or unaged pu iv polymer in 0 3 to 8 0 m hno 3 solutions at ambient temperature it was also found that the rate of depolymerization of the polymer increased with increase in electrode surface area and current flow uranyl nitrate which is present with plutonium in aqueous nitric acid solutions used for reclaiming spent nuclear reactor fuel was found to increase the effectiveness of the current in depolymerizing pu iv polymer a specific test example of the method of the invention is presented hereinafter for the purpose of illustration a 10 0 ml portion of 0 007 m pu iv polymer solution was diluted by adding an equal volume of 0 8 m hno 3 solution two platinum electrodes with surface areas of 11 2 cm 2 and 20 36 cm 2 respectively were inserted into the polymer acid solution contained in a glass beaker the solution being at ambient temperature direct current of approximately 0 1 ampere was passed between the electrodes which produced mild gassing of the solution the direction of current flow was reversed at about 10 minute intervals after one hour absorption spectral analysis of the solution showed that a small percentage.