Vertical Electrokinetic-Flushing Remediation

Abstract

An optimum reagent was selected to decontaminate the radioactive soil near nuclear facilities by using the developed vertical electrokinetic-flushing equipment, and the optimum remediation conditions were established to obtain a higher remediation efficiency and a minimum waste-solution volume. Namely, the acetic acid was selected as an optimum reagent due to its higher remediation efficiency. The average removal efficiency by a vertical electrokinetic-flushing remediation was 4.6% more than that by a vertical electrokinetic remediation. The optimum remediation conditions were suggested to be when the acetic concentration is 0.01 M, the injection rate of the reagent is 2.4 ml/g and the remediation period is 20 days for the vertical electrokinetic-flushing equipment of a 8.3 L volume. In these conditions, the removal efficiencies of Co²⁺ and Cs⁺ were 98.3% and 88.8%.

Keywords:

• Radioactive soil
• removal efficiency
• vertical electrokinetic-flushing

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was supported by Nuclear Research & Development Program of the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant funded by the Korean government (MEST).