Abstract
Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, radioactive caesium (r-Cs) was detected in the ash generated by municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration facilities in Fukushima Prefecture. This has led to concerns of r-Cs leaching and subsequent environmental contamination during recycling or landfill disposal. Therefore, it is crucial that the relevant authorities have a thorough understanding of r-Cs leaching behavior to establish suitable prevention methods. In this study, we collected r-Cs-contaminated fly and bottom ash (FA and BA) samples from five MSW incineration facilities in Fukushima Prefecture and conducted tests to clarify their basic physical properties and r-Cs leaching properties. We also examined the possibility of preventing r-Cs leaching by adding 5 wt% acid clay to the FA. FA had greater chloride content and r-Cs leaching rate than BA and was found to absorb moisture and deliquesce when stored under high-humidity conditions. However, the addition of acid clay effectively prevented r-Cs leaching upon contact with moisture. From the results, we propose some specific recommendations to counter the leaching of r-Cs from FA at MSW incineration facilities, which will limit r-Cs leaching during recycling or landfill processes.
Highlights
The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, caused by the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, resulted in the environmental release of radioactive caesium (r-Cs) to residential areas [1,2]
JIS K 0058-1 leaching tests [10] were performed to investigate the leaching properties of r-Cs when the ash samples came into contact with moisture, which may occur during recycling or landfill disposal processes
Exists in different forms [11,16,17,18]. This is because most r-Cs enters municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration facilities via vegetation and soil and is volatilized into a gaseous state during incineration, following which it migrates into the flue gas [19]
Summary
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, resulted in the environmental release of radioactive caesium (r-Cs) to residential areas [1,2]. R-Cs can attach to vegetation, soil and other substances, and be unintentionally collected in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration facilities along with waste generated from daily outdoor activities. This waste is subsequently incinerated, which greatly reduces its volume [5]. R-Cs in fly ash (FA) may be prone to leaching upon contact with moisture [7,8]; there are significant concerns that r-Cs will leach out of the ash during recycling or landfill disposal processes and result in environmental contamination of the surrounding area. Recycling 2021, 6, 56 are significant concerns that r-Cs will leach out of the ash during recycling or landfill disposal processes and result in environmental contamination of the surrounding area.
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