Adsorbents Clean Radiation-Contaminated Water in Japan

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced that its advanced adsorbent materials have successfully been used to clean nearly 100 million gal of radiation-contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.

Honeywell's UOP IONSIV Selective Media adsorbents have been used by Toshiba Corp. and Shaw Global Services LLC as part of the Simplified Active Water Retrieve and Recovery System (SARRY), which is being used to treat wastewater that was contaminated after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011. Honeywell's UOP material has been used in the system since August 2011 and has reduced cesium to below detectable levels.

Honeywell's UOP IONSIV Selective Media adsorbents are crystalline materials designed to selectively remove radioactive ions, particularly cesium and strontium, from liquids. Previous generations of these products have been used commercially for more than 30 years to treat radioactive waste streams in commercial nuclear power plants, alkaline tank waste and spent fuel storage pool water. Honeywell's UOP R9120-B adsorbent and its UOP R9160-G adsorbent were used in the cleanup efforts at the plant.

The SARRY system, developed by Toshiba, Shaw and AVANTech Inc., has operated problem-free at the plant since its installation. Cleanup efforts are still under way and IONSIV adsorbents are expected to remain in use for the next 10 years to remove cesium and strontium from various contaminated water sources at Fukushima.

Honeywell's UOP pioneered the adsorbents industry more than 60 years ago with the invention of the first synthetic zeolites for use as molecular sieve adsorbents. Today, in addition to a wide range of molecular sieve and activated alumina products, UOP offers a broad portfolio of adsorbents for the removal of contaminants such as mercury and sulfur compounds.

Source: Honeywell