APR 04

Researchers at Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory believe that freshwater algae could become a key component in nuclear waste clean-up.

Studies done on Closterium moniliferum, a bright green pond algae, found that it could be effective at sequestering Strontium 90, one of the most dangerous radioactive materials created in a nuclear reactor and consequently present nuclear waste sludge. The material has a half-life of 30 years and is drawn to bone, carrying with it a very high bone cancer risk for those exposed to it.

Lab studies showed that algae removes strontium from water and stores it in the form of barium-strontium-sulfate crystals while excreting out any calcium, meaning it could naturally separate the highly radioactive material from the harmless substances in sludge, allowing clean-up workers to more easily locate and deal with the radioactive material.

The experiments used non-radioactive strontium (chemically identical to isotope Sr-90), so the researchers aren't sure how the algae would survive in a radioactive environment, but algae has proven that it can withstand other harsh environments, so the scientists are very hopeful.

Comments (8)

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Thats great!
written by Nathan, April 04, 2011

until it mutates into a giant lizard and attacks Tokyo

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How About Keeping it OUT OF Sludge to Begin With
written by Fracktoid, April 05, 2011

Seems to me, that if the NRC were doing its job properly, its licensees would not be allowed to dump this stuff in the first place...which would mean our Sewage Treatment plants would not be stuck with cleaning up the nuclear industry waste streams.

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algae
written by dily, April 06, 2011

Don't u just love optimism...

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Sounds hopeful.
written by Conservation Jobs, April 06, 2011

The Japanese need all the help they can get with the Fukushima crisis.

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...
written by I_so_bel, April 07, 2011

I think we have a lot of this algae in the PI (although they are also responsible for some of our marine animals and plants to die), maybe our country should consider donating this instead of other stuff. Haha.

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radioactive spa treatment...a new application for fomentech?
written by sarah, April 08, 2011

algae has traditionally been used on the skin in detox wraps... fresh water and seawater. Now I'm not sure what genius species is best for which but I wonder if an algae wrap like a spa treatment would work...or does it have to be living? even so how fast does it work could it help someone exposed to radiation by applying to skin or eating?

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Nuclear never safe
written by Rich Davine, April 12, 2011

It's kinda like a break through in cleaning up oil spills.
We don't need oil or nukes, but it would be nice to clean up the earth after getting rid of them. I just wouldn't like to see this algea used to extend the use of nukes.

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Algae could be the key to nuclear waste cleanup
written by George E. Smolka, July 07, 2011

Nice try but no cigar! What the Article leaves unexplained is what is the potential for dangerous mutation. Alga are living things. All living things are susceptible to mutation. Sr 90 is a high energy radionuclide. Natural selection favors organisms that can survive in the new environment i.e. an algae that has a higher resistance to radiation damage. How long before you produce a super algae that replaces existing species without the benefits of extant organisms? Do I have to remind you of the problems we have with DDT, over use of antibiotics, GMO's, the damage done to wild populations by domestication, etc? The amount of money and time necessary to investigate this shot in the dark properly, will not be spent by the idiots that rule us, and we may be stuck with another anthropocentric disaster, further damaging our teetering world ecology.
At this rate of deterioration I suggest you bend over and kiss it good by.

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