Volume reduction of an aqueous solution contaminated with radioactive materials by freezing technique

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25550053
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: MATSUYAMA Masao 富山大学, 水素同位体科学研究センター, 教授 (90135004)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TSUSHIMA Katsutoshi 富山大学, 大学院理工学研究部(理学), 名誉教授 (00002098)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 放射能汚染水 / 減容化処理 / 製氷化技術 / セシウム汚染水 / ストロンチウム汚染水 / イットリウム汚染水 / 海水の影響

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A huge amount of water contaminated by radioactive materials is kept in the area of the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant, and now the decontamination processing is one of important issues. Therefore, in this study, applicability of freezing technique has been examined to reduce the contaminated water. At first, freezing examinations were carried out using an aqueous solution containing non-radioactive cesium of a given concentration as a trial examination, and it was seen that cesium concentration in the formed ice decreased below 1/200 in comparison with that in the initial aqueous solution. This was true for the aqueous solution containing radioactive cesium. In addition, similar examination was carried out for the aqueous solution containing strontium, yttrium and NaCl. Large decrease of an impurity concentration in ice was observed, indicating that the freezing technique is useful for volume reduction of the contaminated water.

Free Research Field

水素同位体科学