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Evaluating Solid Sorbents for Recycling Wash Waters Containing Strontium and Calcium
Citation:
Oster, C., M. Kaminski, J. Jerden, AND Y. Franchini. Evaluating Solid Sorbents for Recycling Wash Waters Containing Strontium and Calcium. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Reston, VA, 23(1):., (2019).
Impact/Purpose:
Rapid mitigation procedures may be necessary to allow first responders to work in a safer environment by reducing overall radiological exposure or to reopen critical infrastructure (e.g., roadways, financial centers, care facilities). For large area decontamination, few options can rapidly disseminate the decontaminant aside from washing the area down with water. This article describes a system developed for rapid reduction of radioactive contamination and capture and recycling of contaminated wash waters called Integrated Wash-Aid, Treatment, and Emergency Reuse System (IWATERS). IWATERS prescribes the use of wash waters containing salt additives to enhance the removal of radionuclides from various surfaces and solid sorbents to remove the radionuclides selectively.
Description:
A radiological release from a radiological dispersal device (RDD) or an improvised nuclear device (IND) has the potential to contaminate a vast area both near the dispersal epicenter and via atmospheric deposition of small particles containing the more volatile contaminants. Rapid mitigation procedures may be necessary to allow first responders to work in a safer environment by reducing the overall radiological exposure or to reopen critical infrastructure such as roadways and water treatment facilities. One such procedure, called Integrated Wash-Aid, Treatment, and Emergency Reuse System (IWATERS), prescribes the use of wash waters containing salts and other additives to enhance the removal of radionuclides from various surfaces (asphalt, brick, concrete, glass, granite, metal, painted surfaces, wood. The IWATERS system enables the wash water to be collected and treated, potentially allowing reuse in decontamination operations, disposal to a municipal wastewater system, or holding for further treatment.
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EVALUATING SOLID SORBENTS FOR RECYCLING WASH WATERS CONTAINING STRONTIUM AND CALCIUM
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