Abstract
Radioactive cesium (r-Cs) released from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant attaches to vegetation/soil and is collected as municipal solid waste (MSW) for incineration, being concentrated in incineration ash (bottom ash [BA], fly ash [FA], and chelate-treated FA [TFA]). r-Cs in FA and TFA can easily leach upon contact with moisture. It is important to prevent further contamination, as r-Cs has negative effects on ecosystems and the human body. Naturally available clay minerals, considered effective for capturing r-Cs, are a good alternative. Here, we sampled ash from MSW incineration facilities in Fukushima in August 2016 and February 2017. We used energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Ge semiconductor detector to determine elemental composition and r-Cs concentration in the samples and conducted leaching tests. We also determined the extent of leaching suppression by zeolite, acidic clay, and vermiculite. Chloride contents and r-Cs leaching rates were higher in FA and TFA than in BA, regardless of the season. Prior direct addition and mixing of clay minerals (5 to 20 wt.%) effectively prevented r-Cs leaching. This study is the first to examine r-Cs leaching inhibition by clay mineral direct addition and mixing to MSW incineration ash.
Highlights
Various radioactive substances were released into the environment during the accident at the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant [1,2,3]
This contaminated waste is often incinerated in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration facilities [5], and the radioactive cesium (r-Cs) is concentrated in the ash because the incineration treatment does not remove it
We investigated ash samples from five MSW incineration facilities located in Fukushima Prefecture sampling in August 2016 and February 2017 to determine differences according to season, basic physical properties, and r-Cs leaching characteristics
Summary
Various radioactive substances were released into the environment during the accident at the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant [1,2,3]. R-Cs adhering to grass and soil tends to gather in municipal solid waste (MSW) through pruned branches, leaf litter, and daily outdoor activities of local residents (e.g., cleaning, herbicide use, and agricultural operations) This contaminated waste is often incinerated in MSW incineration facilities [5], and the r-Cs is concentrated in the ash because the incineration treatment does not remove it. It would be preferable to use materials that exist in nature when trying to inhibit r-Cs leaching from MSW incineration ash, which is the reason we examined the effect of clay minerals in this study Some clay minerals, such as zeolites and vermiculite, have been investigated for their ability to capture r-Cs [15,16,17,18]. Particles with size ≤ 2 mm were selected using a stainless-steel sieve
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