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Short Sharp Science: A New Scientist blog

'Green rust' counteracts radioactive waste

Caitlin Stier, contributor
(Image: Bo C. Christiansen/University of Copenhagen)

A highly reactive form of rust could be used to contain radioactive neptunium waste from nuclear power plants.

Green rust (pictured above) is a type of clay consisting of iron that has not entirely rusted. It has a deficit of electrons, making it react easily with other substances, including common pollutants.

Now, Bo Christiansen of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and colleagues say it can help contain radioactive neptunium, a byproduct of uranium reactors with a half-life of more than 2 million years. The waste is disposed of in iron-lined copper vessels that are submerged in water.

Christiansen and colleagues say that surrounding these vessels with green rust could help ensure the waste does not seep into waterways should the containers break down.

Journal reference: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2010.12.003

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When they say 'green', do they mean that literally, or do they mean that it's environmentally friendly? I suspect that the picture above is misleading, as it looks like a electron micrograph, which is really black-and-white.


The title is misleading. Because the content of the article only says that green rust can help contain neptunium, the title should be
Green rust counteracts part of radioactive waste (or something like that).


Is this 'green rust' literally green, or is it 'green' in the sense of being ecologically friendly? The picture is misleading, in that it appears to be an electron micrograph, which would make the untouched photograph black-and-white.

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