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Synthesized Carbon Pulls Radioactive Elements fromWater Adapted from a Press Release by Rice University Researchers at Rice University and Kazan Federal University in Russia have discovered a new way to extract radioactive elements from water. Their discovery could help purify the hundreds of millions of gallons of contaminated water stored after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in 2011. Furthermore, the synthesized oxidatively modified carbon (OMC) material is inexpensive and highly efficient at absorbing positively charged radioactive metal ions, including cesium and strontium. The synthesized OMC material makes good use of the porous nature of two specific sources of carbon. One is an inex- pensive, coke-derived powder known as C-seal F, used by the oil industry as an additive in drilling fluids. The other is a nat- urally occurring, carbon-heavy mineral called shungite found mainly in Russia. When combined, these two parts make up the OMC particles, which look like balls of crumpled paper, or roses with highly irregular petals. Researchers tested the individual parts of OMC by mixing each substance with contaminated water as well as through column filtration, a standard process in which fluid is pumped or pulled by gravity through a filter to remove contaminants. In the mixing test, the labs dispersed nonradioactive iso- topes of strontium and cesium in spring water, added the substance, and stirred for two hours. After filtering out the substance, they measured the particles left in the water. OMC1 (from coke powder used in drilling fluids) proved best at removing both cesium and strontium from contaminated water, getting significantly better as the sub- stance was increased. A maximum 800 milligrams of OMC1 removed about 83% of cesium and 68% of strontium from 100 milliliters of water. OMC2 (from shungite) in the same concentrations adsorbed 70% of cesium and 47% of strontium. In column filtration tests, which involved flowing contaminated water through an OMC filter, which removed nearly 93% of cesium and 92% of strontium in a single pass. This allowed researchers to contain and isolate contaminants trapped in the filter material. Researchers concluded OMC could easily trap common radioactive elements found in waterfloods from oil extraction, such as uranium, thorium, and radium. While other materials used for remediation of radioactive waste need to be stored with the waste they capture, the carbon-based OMC presents a distinct advantage over other materials. Once the carbon has cap- tured the elements, it can be burned in a nuclear incinerator, leaving only a small amount of radioactive ash behind, which is much easier to store. Grout Pump Armstrong Machine Co. 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