Navigation Links
New paper by Notre Dame researchers describes method for cleaning up nuclear waste
Date:3/20/2012

While the costs associated with storing nuclear waste and the possibility of it leaching into the environment remain legitimate concerns, they may no longer be obstacles on the road to cleaner energy.

A new paper by researchers at the University of Notre Dame, led by Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt, professor of civil engineering and geological sciences and concurrent professor of chemistry and biochemistry, showcases Notre Dame Thorium Borate-1 (NDTB-1) as a crystalline compound which can be tailored to safely absorb radioactive ions from nuclear waste streams. Once captured the radioactive ions can then be exchanged for higher charged species of a similar size, recycling the material for re-use.

If one considers that the radionuclide technetium (99Tc) is present in the nuclear waste at most storage sites around the world, the math becomes simple. There are more than 436 nuclear power plants operating in 30 countries; that is a lot of nuclear waste. In fact, approximately 305 metric tons of 99Tc was generated from nuclear reactors and weapons testing from 1943 through 2010. Its safe storage has been an issue for decades.

"The framework of the NDTB-1 is key," says Albrecht-Schmitt. "Each crystal contains a framework of channels and cages featuring billions of tiny pores, which allow for the interchange of anions with a variety of environmental contaminants, especially those used in the nuclear industry, such as chromate and pertechnetate."

Albrecht-Schmitt's team has concluded successful laboratory studies using the NDTB-1 crystals, during which they removed approximately 96 percent of 99Tc. Additional field tests conducted at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C., and discussed in the paper have shown that the Notre Dame compound successfully removes 99Tc from nuclear waste and also exhibits positive exchange selectivity for greater efficiency.

The paper appears in the journal Advanced Functional Materials'/>"/>

Contact: Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt
talbrec1@nd.edu
574-631-1872
University of Notre Dame
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. New papers offer insights into process of malarial drug resistance
2. French scientist wins the Journal of Experimental Biology Outstanding Paper Prize
3. High school students paper published in prestigious college math journal
4. HSPD-24 White Paper Now Available From WCC Smart Search & Match
5. New paper offers key insights into how new species emerge
6. Researchers win award for best clinical paper in orthopedic physical therapy
7. GSA special paper presents new studies of Western US earth motion
8. Beetle shell inspires brilliant white paper
9. ADA releases updated position paper on vegetarian diets
10. ADA releases position paper on food and water safety
11. Lower-cost solar cells to be printed like newspaper, painted on rooftops
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/16/2013)... (May 17, 2013) Illustrating a commitment to ... American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Foundation has announced ... Research Fellowship Award recipients. Supported by the National ... (NIDDK), this new award helps underrepresented minority students ... and nutrition research. , "By establishing this new ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... fast food restaurant had a higher body mass index ... food, according to researchers at The University of Texas ... strong among those with a lower income. , ... Journal of Public Health indicates higher BMI associates ... among lower-income African-Americans, the density, or number, of fast ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... Injectable nanoparticles developed at MIT may someday eliminate ... to constantly monitor their blood-sugar levels and inject ... to sense glucose levels in the body and ... thereby replacing the function of pancreatic islet cells, ... diabetes. Ultimately, this type of system could ensure ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Underrepresented minority students receive fellowships in digestive disease and nutrition research 2Body mass index of low income African-Americans linked to proximity of fast food restaurants 2Body mass index of low income African-Americans linked to proximity of fast food restaurants 3Nanotechnology could help fight diabetes 2Nanotechnology could help fight diabetes 3
... in Alaska's tundra, and a corresponding northward progression of the ... of warmer and longer summers in the Alaskan Arctic according ... 22, 2005, issue of Science Express. , The resulting atmospheric ... what might be observed if there was a doubling of ...
... at blink-of-the-eye speeds by squirting chemicals called neurotransmitters across ... lots of different receptors and neurotransmitters work simultaneously. Which ... reported in the July 20 issue of the Journal ... led by David Featherstone, a University of Illinois at ...
... is detected is a defensive, protective reaction. This ancestral ... by a potential predator. A new study published in ... freeze when encountering a threat. The mere picture of ... viewing these unpleasant images, the study's participants froze as ...
Cached Biology News:Lands surface change on Alaska tundra creating longer, warmer summers in Arctic 2UIC researchers show protein routes messages in nerve cells 2When in danger humans are similar to a deer in the headlights 2
(Date:5/20/2013)... Grace Century , an international ... science and health related private equity projects, has announced ... Project Team. Dergham's expertise in finance and international law ... Grace Century as it continues to look at more ... holds both an under graduate degree from the University ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... 2013  (PSHR) Pacific Shore Holdings, Inc. a ... a broad range of product categories lines, today ... firm, BlueWater Advisory Group, to provide strategic counsel ... and to direct the company,s outreach and investor ... Matthew Mills , Pacific Shore Holdings, ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... Md. and BALTIMORE , May 20, ... a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant ... in Central Maryland , today ... as the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) for BHI at ... Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Dr. ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... May 20, 2013 Interventional cardiologist Tony ... General Hospital (AGH) Cardiovascular Institute have helped pioneer ... artery disease (CAD) over the past three decades, ... balloon angioplasty and coronary artery stent implantation. , Today, ... play a prominent role in the study of a ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Dalia Dergham Joins Grace Century FZ LLC International Project Team 2Pacific Shore Holdings Retains Investor Relations Firm 2BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 2BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 3BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Names Ram Aiyar as Entrepreneur-in-Residence to NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 4Allegheny General Hospital Cardiovascular Institute Becomes Exclusive Pittsburgh Site for Study of Novel Coronary Artery Disease Device 2Allegheny General Hospital Cardiovascular Institute Becomes Exclusive Pittsburgh Site for Study of Novel Coronary Artery Disease Device 3Allegheny General Hospital Cardiovascular Institute Becomes Exclusive Pittsburgh Site for Study of Novel Coronary Artery Disease Device 4
... Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX ), a ... announced the schedule of its upcoming Contrave® (naltrexone sustained ... Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society. This meeting ... October 8-12, 2010.Sunday, October 10:  Embargo Lifts October 10 ...
... caprotec bioanalytics GmbH announced today the appointment of ... Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the company.  Prior ... at Merck & Co., Schering AG and Novartis. ... leader in the global pharmaceutical industry," said caprotec founder ...
... RHHBY) announced today that the cobas ® TaqScreen DPX Test ... now available with the CE Mark. It is the first IVD ... B19 (B19V) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) in one assay. The ... which simultaneously quantifies B19V genotypes 1, 2 and 3 DNA and ...
Cached Biology Technology:Orexigen® Therapeutics Announces Upcoming Data Presentations at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society 2caprotec bioanalytics GmbH Appoints Prof. Dr. Rainer Metternich as Managing Director, Chief Business Officer and Chief Operating Officer 2First Duplex Test for Parvovirus B19 and Hepatitis A Virus Increases Safety of Human Plasma and Plasma Products 2First Duplex Test for Parvovirus B19 and Hepatitis A Virus Increases Safety of Human Plasma and Plasma Products 3
... LC Sciences provides a genome-wide microRNA (miRNA) ... proprietary probe design, which enable highly sensitive ... We have standard arrays for mature miRNA ... version of the Sanger miRBase database (Release ...
... immunological studies, vaccine development, and biosensor ... powerful Paraflo microfluidic on-chip synthesis platform. ... of our comprehensive Epitope Peptide Microarray ... Probe content is completely customer ...
... Custom peptide microarrays designed for quantitative ... samples and built on the flexible ... Thousands of customer specified sequences can ... can provide assistance with custom sequence ...
... Now, for the first time, you can ... and more efficiently without interferences. The Agilent ... remove unwanted, multiple high-abundant proteins from human ... with just one device. With this revolutionary ...
Biology Products: