<
https://theconversation.com/radioactive-waste-isnt-going-away-weve-found-a-new-way-to-trap-it-in-minerals-for-long-term-storage-200255>
"There are around 440 nuclear power plants operating in 32 countries around the
world, supplying some 10% of the world’s electricity. Another 60 reactors are
under construction, and 300 more are proposed.
Australia has only one reactor, used for research and medical purposes. But
Australia typically produces more than 5,000 tonnes of uranium each year. This
is about 9% of the world’s total.
Uranium mining and processing, and nuclear power plant operations, can produce
a range of radioactive elements (called radionuclides). These may be
long-lasting hazards if released into the environment. Liquid radioactive
wastes present a particular challenge: they often contain a mixture of
radionuclides, and few technologies can reliably capture and safely contain
these contaminants quickly and efficiently.
We have invented a fast process to capture radionuclides from liquid waste in a
clay-like mineral, which can then be baked to form a stable material for
disposal and long-term storage. The research is published in
Nature Scientific
Reports and will soon be presented at the Waste Management Symposium, the
world’s largest radioactive waste management conference."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
