Decontamination by use of geomaterials

A large amount of radioactive substances has discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, and made the severe damages around the plants. Contamination resulting from the release of radioactive substances affects a wide range of environments including seawater, soil, plant and forest. It is necessary for us to remove radioactive substances, especially radiocesium, from this diverse range of sites. We reviewed the actions for the radioactive waste-water treatment system in the nuclear power plant and for decontaminating top soil and farmland by use of geomaterials including natural minerals. Furthermore their present situations and their issues in future were reviewed. (author)