West Valley Demonstration Project Permeable Treatment Wall (PTW) Cross section diagram (Adapted with permission from Seneca, S.M. and Rabideau, A.J. 2012)
NUCLEAR REMEDIATION
Clinoptilolite zeolite is widely recognized as environmentally friendly and effective for the adsorption of ammonium, heavy metals, light metals, and radioactive isotopes, such as 90Sr and 137Cs.
Bear River Zeolite (BRZ™) clinoptilolite zeolite is a high quality and low cost nuclear remediation media option. The high cation-exchange-capacity (CEC) of up to 220 meq/100g captures and holds multiple cations, heavy and light metals and radioactive isotopes. The low clay content and durability are conducive to hydraulic conductivity for groundwater remediation.
BRZ™ was selected by the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) as the best performing clinoptilolite for use in a Permeable Treatment Wall (PTW) installed at a closed nuclear fuel processing plant in West Valley, NY. The PTW has effectively treated and contained the 90Sr contaminated groundwater plume since its installation in 2010.
Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada, also used BRZ™ in a Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) at a waste storage site. The 2013 PRB installation has reduced 90Sr concentrations in downgradient effluent groundwater.