Mineral-forming method removes more than 99% of radioactive technetium from liquid waste

AI Summary

Researchers developed a mineral-forming method that removes more than 99% of radioactive technetium-99 from liquid waste. The contaminant can move readily through water and soil, and is a concern at legacy nuclear sites such as Sellafield and Hanford.

Technetium-99 is a long-lived radioactive byproduct of nuclear fuel production and reprocessing. In many environments, it forms a highly mobile chemical species that can move readily through water and soil, making it a priority contaminant at legacy nuclear sites including Sellafield in the U.K. and Hanford in the United States.