Ural Scientists Propose Innovative Solutions for Purifying Water from Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant
Ural scientists have proposed a way to recycle water from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. According to Oleg Tashlykov, professor of the Department of Nuclear Power Plants and Renewable Energy Sources at UrFU, part of the accumulated water containing tritium (a superheavy radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a half-life of 12.3 years) can be used in the production of concrete products, for example, for the construction of a radioactive waste storage facility at Fukushima or other buildings. In addition, it would be possible to purify water from radionuclide using a sorbent that was developed in the Urals.
“It is extremely expensive to clean and store water, and the Japanese decided to solve the problem in this way. They processed some of the water: they passed it through a special installation, filters. Concentrated waste will not be drained, it will be buried. What was cleaned, they began to dump into the ocean. The problem is that the water was not 100% purified. There are radionuclides left in it — cobalt, ruthenium, tritium, caesium, plutonium, strontium and other long—lived isotopes that are dangerous if they get inside a living organism with water or with food,” says Oleg Tashlykov.
The danger of radionuclides is that over time they can accumulate in various organs, replace atoms of stable elements in cell structures, biological compounds. Accumulation of radionuclides in the body can lead to rearrangement of molecules, suppression of the immune system, increased likelihood of tumors. Therefore, for example, in the event of a radiation accident, it is recommended to take regular stable iodine (potassium iodide) to protect the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine.
“Over time, the consequences will worsen. The fact is that the standards allowed by the IAEA of 60 thousand becquerels per liter of water are not terrible. But, like any radionuclide, tritium accumulates over time in plants, and then in marine life, which eats these algae. As a result, it will affect the entire ecosystem, including humans. Therefore, neighboring countries — China, South and North Korea, Russia, the Philippines, Indonesia — are worried for a reason,” explains Oleg Tashlykov.
It would be possible to dispose of water with tritium in the production of concrete products, the nuclear physicist believes. The fact is that tritium is dangerous when ingested (with water, food), but the beta-emitter “sealed” in concrete is harmless to humans or the environment, the expert adds.
“Of course, it will not be possible to dispose of all the water in this way, but a significant part can be usefully used. Tritium is allowed in structures even in larger doses than in water, because concrete essentially packs tritium thoroughly,” the nuclear physicist adds.
In addition, it is possible to purify water from a radioactive isotope using a sorbent.
“A group of Ural scientists led by the famous radiochemist Viktor Remez has been working for a long time to create sorbents that can selectively extract radioactive isotopes from the aquatic environment. A few years ago, he patented a sorbent for water purification from radioactive isotopes, including tritium, as well as a method for using tritium—containing water for the manufacture of concrete products,” says Oleg Tashlykov.
Cobalt, which is also contained in water, could be converted from a liquid to a solid state. UrFU physicists participated in the improvement of radiation protection for liquid radioactive waste conditioning technology invented by Viktor Remez’s group. A container was designed to store cured liquid radioactive waste containing long-lived cesium-137 and cobalt—60 – the most potentially dangerous of all radioactive waste. Containers reduce radiation to a safe level, and one such container can replace five or six analogues of the traditional type.