Inteligent treatment and disposal of soils contaminated cesium from accident of nuclear power plant at Fukushima

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24360369
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Earth system and resources enginnering
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: SATO Tsutomu 北海道大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10313636)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOGURE Toshihiro 東京大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (50282728) ; NAWA Toyoharu 北海道大学, 大学院工学研究院, 教授 (30292056)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 地質汚染修復 / セシウム / 土壌汚染 / 環境修復 / 福島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we conducted extraction and identification of particles fixed radioactive cesium from the soils at Fukushima to make proposal of applicable separation method for reduction in volume, and leaching experiments to make proposal safety solidification of cesium adsorbed zeolites. As the results of this study, the particles are categorized in the following three types, 1) coagulation of several mineral particles, 2) mineral-organic matter complex, and 3) weathered mica, and separated from non-contaminated particles by wet screening and using diatomite. These particles will be directly disposed after volume reduction of the contaminated soils because cesium already fixed into structure of the minerals in the particles. However, cesium released from the particles must be collected by adsorbents such as zeolite. We confirmed that the zeolite bearing cesium can be safely disposed after encapsulation by slag cement.

Free Research Field

環境鉱物学