Abstract
Groundwater contamination is one of the most concerning issues from uranium mining activities. Radionuclides cannot be destroyed or degraded, unlike some organic contaminants (and similar to metals). Besides, sites, where radionuclides may be found, are mainly radioactive and mixed waste disposal areas, and therefore many other contaminants may also be present in groundwater. The state-of-the-art of environmental technology is continually changing, and thus a review on technologies application is of utmost relevance. This work gives an overview of the available remediation technologies for groundwater contaminated with radionuclides resulting mainly from uranium mining. For each technology, a theoretical background is provided; the state of development, limitations, efficiency, and potential adverse effects are also approached. Examples of application and performance monitoring of remediation progress are described, and criteria for the selection of the appropriate remediation technology are given. The most effective remediation technology will always be site-specific as a result of the multitude of geographic and operational factors that influence the effluent quality and impact the technical feasibility of treatment methods. Ion exchange, chemical precipitation, and membrane filtration have been considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) as best demonstrated available technologies for radium and uranium removal. Several factors have been demonstrated to influence the selection of a remediation technology (technological aspects and non-technical factors), but even for the technologies demonstrated or industrial proven, two important challenges remain; the (still) mobile radionuclides and the generation of secondary wastes. Besides, remediation technologies are constantly evolving, but future advancement depends on rigorously monitored, documented efficiency, and results achieved. Therefore, the technologies approached in this paper are by no means exhaustive.
Highlights
Mine sites have been a significant source of contamination to the environment, in sites where the mining activity has ceased without an existing closure plan or a rehabilitation project
This work gives an overview of the available remediation technologies for groundwater contaminated with radionuclides resulting mainly from uranium mining activities
Physical, biological, and combined methods have been developed to remediate groundwater contaminated with radionuclides originating from uranium mining activities
Summary
Mine sites have been a significant source of contamination to the environment, in sites where the mining activity has ceased without an existing closure plan or a rehabilitation project. Different in-situ and ex-situ remediation options exist for contaminated groundwater: containment of the contaminants to prevent migration (e.g., using geotechnical measures), removal of the contamination source (e.g., by excavation and subsequent soil washing), groundwater treatment at the point of use, removal of the groundwater for treatment and replacement, or remediation of the groundwater in situ (e.g., the in-situ transformation of the contaminants to reduce their mobility and the toxicity) Many of these options are put in operation through the pump-and-treat systems, in situ permeable treatment wall system, monitored natural attenuation, enhanced attenuation technologies, and biological processes. When there are no such examples for the radionuclides related to uranium mining and milling activities, others are presented
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