Study for Development of Magnetic Particles for Remove Radioactive Cesium and Iodine

Radioactive cesium (Cs) is difficult to treat or remove, because Cs has a very long half-life. Among the nuclides that flowed out due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Cs occupies a very large amount. Research is underway to remove Cs after an accident. Especially, Prussian blue (PB) is used to remove Cs. Radioactive iodine (I) has many nuclides that are used in many fields such as industry, research and medicine. Also fission iodine is most often produced with molybdenum-99 from fission uranium. It is superior in sublimation and exists in liquid or gaseous state. Therefore, much research has been done to remove iodine. The purpose of this study is to develop magnetic particles that simultaneously remove radioactive Cs/I. Iron oxide, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), was used as a support and Prussian blue was used for cesium removal. Finally, silver was used to remove iodine. In this study, we have fabricated magnetic particles that can remove cesium and iodine present in water. The removal of cesium and iodine was confirmed and the magnetic properties of the particles were confirmed. However, there is a limit in that the dispersibility of the particles is lowered by coated silver and the removal rate of cesium is lowered. If the removal rate of cesium is increased, it can be commercialized.