New research at Washington State University could help in the design of long-term nuclear waste storage facilities and make it easier to clean already contaminated areas.
Nathalie Wall, assistant professor of chemistry, and Larissa Gribat, chemistry doctoral candidate, are investigating ways to contain technetium (Tc), a radioactive element produced during the burnup of uranium fuel.
“Tc remains radioactive and an environmental concern for thousands of years,” Wall said. “If we put Tc in a repository we want to keep it there indefinitely. This work will help make this possible.”