Final storage of radioactive cesium by pollucite hydrothermal synthesis

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear accident has highlighted the importance of finding a better final storage method for radioactive cesium species. Cs is highly soluble in water, and can easily exchange with other alkali ions in zeolites or clays to form stable complexes. However, Cs+ is released from Cs+ complexes into water when surrounded by an excess of water. Pollucite may be the best final storage option for Cs+, but its typical synthesis requires heating to about 1200°C in air. Here, we show that the hydrothermal synthesis of pollucite can be completed at 300°C in three hours from any zeolite or clay. Furthermore, our procedure does not require ion exchange before synthesis. Radioactive Cs is usually found in complexes with clays. At that time, this method only requires calcium hydroxide, water, and three hours of hydrothermal synthesis, so the process is both inexpensive and practical for large-scale application. Pollucite is an analog of analcime zeolite, and contains a channel system 2.8 Å in diameter, which is formed by 6-oxygen rings. As the diameter of Cs+ is 3.34 Å and each Cs+ exists independently within a separate portion of the channel, Cs+ cannot exit the pollucite framework without breaking it.